Lost Between a Rock and a Hard Place
by Chewie-Fan
Summary: This is based on the movie characters. It takes place after the two books, The Promised Planet and The Vault. Judy finds herself the center of male attention as the family encounters an underground society that follows a cruel tradition.
1. Chapter 1

**Lost **

**Between a Rock and a Hard Place**

**Introduction**

_**Lost in Space: The Movie**_

"Ooh, what's that, a battle scar?"

-Dr. Judy Robinson

"Sort of… It was a tattoo. An ex-girlfriend's name, but I uh, I had it removed."

-Major Don West

"Wouldn't it be easier to use a magic marker?"

-Dr. Judy Robinson

"Yeah, well, that's me, a girl in every port."

-Major Don West

"So, Major, no family? Nothing to tie you down? No one to miss?"

-Dr. Judy Robinson

"Nah, I've never been the fit in and play nice type."

-Major Don West

"I guess you think that's romantic."

-Dr. Judy Robinson

"No, No I don't. But what about you, Doc? Is there some lucky little nerd you left behind?"

-Major Don West

"I spent three years working on this mission, Major. I'm trying to save the planet here. I haven't had time for fun."

-Dr. Judy Robinson

"If there's no time for fun, Doc, then what are we saving the planet for?"

-Major Don West

_vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv_

"So, my quarters or yours?"...

-Major Don West

…"Right here? On this consul?"

-Dr. Judy Robinson

"Yeah, right here would be fine."

-Major Don West

… Ice cold water dripped from his hair…

"Why don't you just… hang onto your joystick."

-Dr. Judy Robinson

"Excellent technique, Major... Really."

-Major Don West

_vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv_

"Now, if you've finished hosing down the deck with testosterone, I suggest you come with me. I may have found a way to get us off this planet."

-Dr. Maureen Robinson to Professor

John Robinson and Major Don West

_vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv_

"Listen, Doc, I'm, uh, I'm thinking this is your basic kiss for luck occasion. Wouldn't you agree?"

-Major Don West

"Thinking... That's not really your strong suit, is it?"

-Dr. Judy Robinson

_vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv_

_**Lost in Space: The Promised Planet**_

The family sat down to dinner with their hostess. Maureen noticed that Judy was caught between a rock and a hard place with Smith on her left and Don on the right. '_If it wasn't so absurd, I'd think that we have the beginnings of a rivalry here.'_

_-_Dr. Maureen Robinson

_vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv_

He had her arms pinned behind her back and his head seemed about to dip. '_Could it get any _

_more cliché than this?' _

-Dr. Judy Robinson

He let her go. "You don't _really_ think I'm such a walking cliché, do you?"

-Major Don West

_vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv_

Without warning, Judy stood on her tiptoes and kissed Smith lightly on the lips. _'Did she... did she just…kiss me? Take that Major West!'_ He turned to go back to his room.

-Dr. Zachary Smith

Watching from the hallway, Don opened the bedroom door for Smith. 'You've had a very nice time getting better, _Smitty_. Now go back to bed. _Alone_."

-Major Don West

"I will if you will, Major."

-Dr. Zachary Smith

_vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv_

_**Lost in Space: The Vault**_

After helping him through detox, Judy realized that Smith had his moments of goodness, few though they were. _'Had he really changed?'_ She looked at him walking beside her. _'And he is handsome,'_ she thought, though guilt tickled her brain.

-Dr. Judy Robinson

_vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv_

In her dream she was desperately trying to unlock the door, but strong hands pulled her away and she felt herself falling. Her eyes flew open and she was lying on the deck of the Jupiter, Don's anxious face looming over her. "I never in my life thought I'd be saying this, but I'm _really_ glad to see you!"

-Dr. Judy Robinson

'_Damn that West! She was so close to being mine. She has such a good mind, brilliant, really, a rarity. I will give her a second chance when I can rid her of that blockhead, West. The idiot thinks that he is protecting his ladylove when it is she who is protecting him.'_

-Dr. Zachary Smith

_vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv_

**Prologue**

After escaping the planet that was disintegrated by Will's time machine, the _Jupiter _and its crew encountered two alien worlds. The first appeared to be a 'promised land' of opportunity as the Robinsons were given free access to a world of their dreams. This civilization's process of birth and death, however, was one indication that the society was far from free. The Robinsons fled and in the process saved Dr. Smith, not only from extermination, but from himself as well.

Their next planetary stop was on the Earth like planet of the Rellkans, a humanoid society that had been devastated by war hundreds of years earlier. A 'vault' like building that bestowed powerful knowledge upon those brave enough to enter its domain was the only remnant of their prewar society. This knowledge, however, had led to the almost total elimination of their civilization.

To the detriment of the Rellkans and Robinsons, Dr. Smith gained access to this knowledge and intended to utilize it for his own personal goals. Will, who had also entered the 'vault', discovered that the powers allowed him would eventually destroy his family, just as it had almost destroyed the Rellkans. His bravery, however, allowed Dr. Smith to be returned to his former, andperhaps, improved self.The planet of the Rellkans was soon left behind as the _Jupiter_ hurtled through hyperspace. Once again they were faced with a multitude of unrecognizable constellations and no Alpha Prime in sight.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 1**

**Ruminations**

"The Space Captive, Penny Robinson, is in search of the something, anything to relieve the monotony of almost six weeks of space travel. As she approaches the main area of the ship, relief is in sight."

Professor John Robinson and Major Don West huddled around the navigation table. As John pulled up a star map, Don leaned closer to take a better look. Neither he nor John noticed Penny, who stood in the shadows admiring the view. She whispered into her video diary. "The captain of the ship speaks with the handsome pilot…"

"I think that system is worth checking out," John Robinson commented as he pointed to a cluster of planets.

"We can do a flyby for more information," Don replied.

Penny continued her muse. "…whose full, kissable lips answer in his deep, sexy voice."

"We should be in range of the system tomorrow. If you and Maureen narrow down the planetary choices, we can land within three days," Don continued.

A figure crept up behind Penny with the stealth of a cat. An arm stretched over her shoulder…

"We've already done that and…" before the Professor finished his sentence, his two youngest children ran past.

"Will Robinson, you give that back to me!" Penny yelled as she chased after her brother.

"Ruminations of the Space Captive!" Will shouted. Imitating his sister's intonations, he continued, "Oh, he's so cute! If only he would kiss me!"

Penny blushed and hoped that Don was too involved with the star map to pay attention to Will. No such luck. Don reached out and grabbed Will around the waist while snatching the video diary from his hands. Having been a younger brother himself, he fully understood what Will was thinking.

"Okay, Will. I know you think it's funny, but diaries are private," Don reprimanded.

Will appealed to Don's baser instincts, "Aw, don't you want to know who she's talking about?"

"No." He handed the vidcam to Penny, who mumbled, "Thanks" without looking at him, and ran to her room. "And you," he gave Will a stern look as he let him go, "I'll meet you at the chess board in five minutes for a match."

"Ten minutes. I have to clean up my experiment."

John fought to keep his mouth shut while Don handled the children and now stated, "Well done, Major. I was going to let them fight it out for themselves."

"Well, I was a bratty kid myself once."

John smirked. "Some people would say that you still are."

Don tilted his head. "I prefer to call it boyish charm."

John laughed. He was beginning to appreciate the major's sense of humor and was glad that there was more to the man than the macho arrogance he had displayed at their first meeting. "I'll go help Maureen with dinner. Oh, and if you see Judy or Smith on your way down, let them know we're having a family meeting tonight."

Don strode down to the lounge area. The soft sound of voices floated towards him and he stopped just short of turning the corner to listen.

"Judith, that was a beguiling move. The queen cornering the king? The king will have to punish the queen for that one." Dr. Smith's saccharine voice raised Don's hackles.

"Now, Dr. Smith, the queen is well protected," Judy coyly replied.

'_Is she flirting with him?'_ Don wondered.

"She won't be protected for long," Dr. Smith warned as he made his move.

Don turned the corner and marched directly to the chess table. His eyes scanned the pieces. He picked-up Judy's white knight and made her next move. "Knight comes to the rescue. Checkmate."

Both players turned to confront him.

"I don't believe you were invited to the game, Major," Dr. Smith hissed.

"And I didn't ask for your help!" Judy fumed.

"That's because you didn't know you needed it!" Don retorted.

"Why you arrogant…"

"You think _I'm_ arrogant? Take a closer look at your chess partner, Doctor. There's more arrogance in his little finger than I have in my whole damned body!"

He turned to leave, but Judy stood and grabbed at his arm. "Despite what you may think, I am not one of those dim-witted, incompetent women you are _so_ attracted to. _I_ can take care of myself."

His eyes narrowed into slits. "If you're gonna go swimming with sharks, babe," he pointed to Smith, "you better be prepared to be eaten alive." Don turned and stomped out of the lounge.

"Donald West, you come back here!" Judy stalked after him.

"And it was such a lovely game," Dr. Smith murmured as he reset the chess pieces.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 2**

**Hostility for Dinner**

Dinner was a study in silent warfare. Maureen wondered what new conflict she had missed as Dr. Smith and Don threw daggers at each other between bites, and Judy avoided eye contact with both men. Maureen raised an eyebrow when she caught John's eye, and his response was to glance at Judy.

A smug smile was pasted to Dr. Smith's face, but belied the doubt in his mind. He sensed that Judy harbored at least a shred of attraction towards him and he promised himself that he would nurture it at every opportunity. He was, however, unnerved by the strength of her reaction to the major at the chess table. West's emotions were carried on his sleeve, and Dr. Smith was sure that, given enough time, Judy would eventually learn to despise the dolt's immature outbursts.

After apologizing to Will for missing their chess appointment, Don silently stabbed at his food for the rest of the meal. He was chagrinned to hear that Dr. Smith had given Will his chess match, and couldn't bring himself to thank the man for replacing him at the game table, saving Will from disappointment. He squirmed as sympathy poured from Penny's big brown eyes, and he made a mental note to avoid sitting across from her at meals. He wasn't sure when his macho attitude had left him. Maybe it blew up with Will's time machine, but without his testosterone wall to protect him, he felt naked and vulnerable, which was the last thing he wanted Smith to see.

Judy's appetite had left her and she simply pushed her food around her plate. The game of flirting had been something that she had rarely, if ever, engaged in as a medical student. She had been so engrossed in her studies that she simply hadn't had the time for men or relationships. She was ashamed to find herself actually enjoying the rivalry between Don and Dr. Smith and wondered if she were playing emotional roulette with her suitors as well as herself.

Despite the tensions in the room, John proceeded with the planned family meeting. "Your mother has found a system that might hold a planet we can land on. I think," and he stared pointedly at Judy and Don, "that we need the respite from being in tight quarters a bit too long."

"I don't suppose there's a mall there," Penny pouted.

"Sorry. No technology, so no malls. The chances of it having breathable air, however, are good. After we regroup, we'll see what we can do about finding a more 'retail advanced' society for you, Penny. So, is everyone okay with that?" John asked.

Nods came from every person save one.

"I don't suppose my opinion would matter," Dr. Smith stated.

"Actually, it would, Dr. Smith, but you've already been outnumbered. We land in three days. I suggest that _some_ of us work on improving our moods by then."

* * *

Before retiring for the night, Maureen sought out Judy, determined to speak with her about the lover's triangle that had coalesced since their stay on what they had come to call the Promised Planet. John had warned her to let Judy find her own way, and were they living in a 'normal' world, she would have agreed with him. Judy had been the ideal child and had rarely dealt with relational conflict while growing up. Maureen worried that Judy's sheltered life had not prepared her for the battle ahead. Maureen felt responsible for her daughter's naiveté and, frankly, did not look forward to living with the fall-out from the war.

Maureen found Judy in her room, and as was her style, confronted her daughter directly. "So, Judy… what's going on with you and Don and Dr. Smith?"

Judy, dreading unsolicited advice, feigned innocence. "What do you mean?"

"Dinner? I hadn't planned on hostility being the main course."

"Oh, you mean Don." Judy adopted a nonchalant attitude. "Oh, you know the 'macho' major. He's just jealous."

Maureen crossed her arms and sat on the bed. "Maybe he has reason to be. I'm worried about you myself."

"Well, don't be, mom. Zachary is a brilliant man and he's interested in my mind, not my body."

"Zachary?" She reached out and placed a hand on Judy's forearm, "Be careful, Judy. _Zachary_," she emphasized, "may have softened, but I still wouldn't trust him to tie my shoes."

Penny, listening behind the door, couldn't hold herself back any longer. She burst into Judy's room and announced, "I can't believe you like that slimy snake."

"Penny! What happened to knocking?" Maureen reprimanded.

"Sorry. I was just…" Penny started.

"Eavesdropping?" Judy finished for her.

"Smith is so old! And Don is like a… a knight in shining armor," Penny continued.

"Oh, Penny, please!" Judy looked heavenward. "His armor looks pretty tarnished to me, and besides, Dr. Smith isn't what you think. He's had a very hard life."

"Well, you can have him. That will leave Don for me." Penny announced. "Do you think he'll notice me in a few years?"

"You?" Judy pushed aside the possessive feeling that warmed her face. "You have two legs, two arms and two breasts. It's just a matter of time before he hits on you too."

"I wish!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 3**

**Tread Carefully**

Don gave Judy a wide berth during the few days before landing. While he spent much of his time checking the ship's systems, Judy and Dr. Smith reorganized the medical lab. Don hated the idea of their working together, but had no reason to complain about it… well, other than jealousy… which was exactly what he was thinking about when he thrust his hand into the navigator console to check a light, and jammed it between two panels. Cursing, he ran down to the med bay to see if any of his fingers were broken and encountered Judy and Dr. Smith closely engrossed in a quiet conversation.

"Now, dearest, place your hand over mine and trace the path between the two computers," Dr. Smith commanded.

Judy laid her fingers between his and followed his lead. She turned her beautific smile onto Smith and said, "Yes, I can feel the connection."

Don's stomach lurched to his throat. He turned on his heel and strode to the galley instead. He wrapped ice in a towel and held it to his fingers, feeling the cold penetrate his skin. The numbness traveled through his hand and he wished it could travel to his head. _'Ah, who am I kiddin,'_ he told himself. _'She probably still sees me as a low class, dumb jerk who only wants one thing. Give it up, West.'_

Hours later, when he was sure the med lab was empty, he returned to tend to his injury.

John encountered him wrapping his fingers in tape. "Fractured?"

"Yeah, I think so," Don replied.

"Why not let Judy look at it?"

Don glanced up at John. "Because I can't stomach her assistant."

"Smith?"

"Smith."

John took over the taping for him. "I agree with you on that one."

"Then why don't you just…"

"Just what? Tell my grown daughter that I disapprove?" He caught Don's look of resignation. "But I am disappointed in you, Major. I expected you to put up more of a fight."

Don's frown deepened. "Yeah, well, the harder I try, the more I put my foot in my mouth. I guess she really is way outta my league."

"In case you haven't noticed, there is only one playing field. You know, you just might hit a home run if you stop swinging for the fences."

Don smiled, "And hope that she finally succumbs to my 'boyish charms'?"

"Something like that." John finished the taping and waited.

"Thanks, Professor." Don shrugged. "I'll see what I can do."

"I'd appreciate that."

After Don left, John shook his head and thought, _'Hmm… no comment about scoring. Maybe he really is making progress. Don't give up, Don.'_ The professor was more than a little surprised to realize that one of his biggest challenges on this mission would be dealing with his daughter's love life. That frightened him more than anything he might face in this unknown galaxy.

* * *

After the family gathered round the galley table for dinner, Judy noticed Don's taped fingers and insisted on bringing him down to the med bay to set them properly.

"Why didn't you come to me when you did this? I would have taken care of it then."

Don struggled with his response. He swallowed a smart remark about her and her companion and answered, "I did. You were involved in what seemed to be a, uh, _private_ conversation."

"You should have interrupted." She sprayed his fingers with the casting material.

He shrugged. "It wasn't an emergency."

"Oh, and you are _Mr. Macho_, aren't you," she stated as she put the supplies away.

"Macho…" Exasperated, he grabbed her wrist and forced her to look at him. "For your information, I didn't want to intrude on your little love…" He winced and turned away as this time he, literally, bit his lip to stop from saying something obnoxious.

Turning back, his eyes bored into hers for a moment longer, then he dropped her hand and walked away. At the doorway, he stopped and half turned. "I'm sorry… What you do with Smith is none of my business." He held up his casted fingers and muttered, "Thanks."

Judy stared at the doorway long after he had gone. She didn't understand why her stomach was doing somersaults. He had none of the qualities she wanted in a man. Then why did she feel like she was falling without a parachute?

* * *

Dr. Smith entered not moments after Don left. It was almost as if he was waiting in the wings to check on his conquest. "Judith? Are you alright?"

Not being able to look him in the eye, Judy replied, "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"The major looked a bit troubled as he left."

"That's his problem."

"How true. If you're done, I'd like you to hear a bit of music that I think you would enjoy." He placed a hand on her back and steered her towards the door. "It's called Central Park in the Dark by Charles Edward Ives. It's an early 20th century piece, and it wasn't until after his death that…"

Dr. Smith droned on, but Judy barely heard him. She let him lead her to his cabin and went through the motions of listening. When the piece was done, they heard John's announcement that it was time to strap in for a landing. Dr. Smith led Judy to his door and put his arms around her back, drawing her close. She placed her hands on his chest, resisting the impulse to push him away. His lips touched hers and he increased the pressure. She barely moved as her mind took her back to her kiss with Don on the bridge, the kiss that was supposed to prove to him that she wasn't 'a cold fish'. '_What the hell am I doing?'_ she wondered.

The system they had chosen as their temporary home held five planets that rotated around a red dwarf star. The fifth planet was a gas giant with at least 12 moons. Maureen and John chose a stark white moon with an atmosphere with just enough oxygen to support life. Don took the Jupiter in on a perfect landing. They were pleased to find the ground covered with several inches of snow. If it tested out healthy for human consumption, they would at least be able to replenish their water supply.

Penny and Will ran out of the ship and dove into the snow. Having lived most of their lives in the Sun Belt, this was a rare experience for them. Don, a New England native, felt that it was his responsibility to introduce them to the fine art of snowball fighting. He took a handful of snow and fired it at Will. Before long, the war was on and even John and Maureen joined in the battle. Judy and Dr. Smith stood at the top of the ramp. Dr. Smith was reluctant to leave the warmth of the ship and placed his arm around Judy's shoulder to keep her from descending.

"Oh, Zachary, let's join in," Judy suggested.

"You must be joking. Leave the comforts of the ship to engage in… childish antics?"

"It looks like fun!"

"Fun? Fun, as you call it, is a glass of wine, a gourmet meal, and a beautiful woman at your side. Once we settle in, I'll prepare a meal for you like you've never had in space."

Judy blinked at him. "Beautiful? Whatever happened to 'intelligent'?" She galloped down the ramp and joined in the fray.

Dr. Smith admitted his miscalculation to himself. He might have to back off and continue to appeal to her mind, even if he had to take a cold shower or two to accomplish that. He studied the interactions of the family and tensed when he saw Don and Judy fall into a heap in the soft snow. As she struggled to get off him, Don held her a moment too long and she froze in his arms. Then Don flipped her onto her back and helped her up.

'_Don't underestimate the Neanderthal, Zachary. The physical attraction between them might not last, but it is strong. Tread carefully," _he told himself.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 4**

**Start the Fire**

John handed out the work assignments for their pit stop on the snowy moon. Maureen was to test the snow, and Penny, Will and John were going to explore the surrounding area to look for any form of life and edible vegetation. Don had already appointed himself to search for more fuel. Their scan of the moon indicated that there might be deposits nearby that could be mined.

John insisted that he take Dr. Smith along with him since he was uncomfortable with allowing a member of his crew to investigate an unexplored area alone. Don begged to differ, stating that he was well trained in survival skills and that Dr. Smith would just get in the way. For his part, Dr. Smith argued that he and Judy needed to continue to work on improving the medical facilities. Judy, sensing that the men might come to blows if left alone, volunteered to go with them. Maureen was skeptical, but John agreed. "I hope you know what you're doing," Maureen whispered to him as they scattered to begin their assignments.

* * *

Trudging through the snow behind Judy, who marched behind Don, Dr. Smith complained, "How much longer will you make us suffer, Major?"

"Until you collapse or my feet give out, whichever comes first," he replied.

"You don't have to be so disagreeable, Don. It's not like he volunteered for this job." Judy interjected.

He stopped short and faced them. "You know, I didn't want either one of you along in the first place. You can both go back to the ship as far as I'm concerned."

She tried to garner his sympathy. "Look, we're cold, hungry and tired. When are we going to rest?"

He looked her over and noted the strain on her face. "All right, I'll find a spot to set up a mini camp, then you and Zach can relax while I explore a bit more."

Dr. Smith rankled at the nickname. "The name is Dr. Smith, Major. Now, what about that cave over there?" He made his way over to the mouth of the cavern and peered inside.

Don's instincts raised an alarm. He wasn't so sure the cave would be a good place for them to settle, but before he could voice his objections, Dr. Smith and Judy went in and collapsed on the ground.

"Ah, yes, a small fire, and we will be quite cozy in here while the major continues his search." Dr. Smith suggested.

Don was reluctant to leave Judy with Dr. Smith, but knew that he would make better use of his time without them.

"Don, let us go with you," Judy advised.

"Forget it, Judy. I'll be faster on my own."

"And it's more comfortable here than being in the howling wind outside," Dr. Smith complained. "Hurry along, Major, the sooner you return, the sooner we can be on our way back to the Jupiter."

"I won't be longer than an hour." Don pointed to Smith and warned, "Don't let anything happen to her."

Judy crossed her arms, "You're doing it again, Major West."

"What?"

"I can take care of myself."

He rolled his eyes, "Oh, right, I forgot. Well, don't let _him_ get _you_ into any trouble."

He shouldered his backpack and turned to leave.

"Don, please be careful," Judy insisted.

"Hey, sweetheart, as Han Solo would say, 'It's me'!"

Judy watched him leave. Smith called her, but she didn't hear. He came up behind her and whispered in her ear. "Alone at last."

Judy flinched and turned towards him. "He shouldn't have gone by himself. What if something happens to him?"

"Judith, dearest, I'm sure the major is quite capable of taking care of himself. We have an hour to ourselves. Let us use it wisely."

He placed his arms around her shoulders, drawing her closer to him, and leaned forward, pressing his lips against hers and then parting them with his tongue. He probed gently at first, then thrust it well inside her mouth. She did not pull back, but neither did she respond with the passion he had been expecting. It was as if she were attending a tea party with her maiden aunts. Her moves were polite and correct, but without feeling.

She turned away from him. "Not now, Zachary. We have to gather some wood and start a fire."

Judy took as long as possible to gather sticks and logs and brought them back to the cave. Smith had done the same and already had the fire going when she returned. She piled the wood neatly in a stack and watched as he ate a nutrition bar. He offered her one, but she politely refused it. He went behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, squeezing and kneading the knots in her back.

"My, you are tense. I'm sure I can help you relax."

"I'm fine, Zachary. Let's explore deeper into the cave. I'd love to show Don up and find something that's worth bringing back."

"Explore the cave?"

"Of course. We just can't sit here and wait."

"If I didn't know you better, Judith, I'd say that you're avoiding spending quality time with me. Oh, but this isn't about me, is it. It's about our simian pilot, the missing link."

"Don't call him that, Zachary."

"So the attraction is still there is it?" He turned Judy to face him. "You can't be thinking about giving into his macho wiles, are you?" He shook her gently. "You're much too good for him."

She shrugged away from his hold.

"Judith, don't you know that you'd just be another notch on his belt? I can give you so much more." He held her face between his hands, stared deeply into her eyes and slowly brought her face to his. "I have so much to teach you about culture, about life, about… sex." Just as their lips touched, Don reentered the cave.

"Don't move!" he instructed and drew his laser pistol. He aimed near Smith's head and pulled the trigger.

Judy shouted "No!" while Smith screamed and ducked. A 'thing' dropped from the ceiling and Don sauntered over, picked it up and inspected the creature. Judy shivered as she stared at the brown snake-like animal with orange markings. It had six small legs on either side of its body and its tail was shaped like a small brush of spiked tentacles. Don had no idea if it was poisonous, but he wasn't going to take the chance.

Smith recovered his senses. "Well, Major, it appears that I owe you one."

"No charge, Smitty."

"Aren't you back rather early?"

"Why? Did I interrupt something?"

Simultaneously Smith declared, "Yes" while Judy replied, "No."

Don crossed his arms. "You two need to get on the same page."

Judy bristled, "For your information we were getting ready to explore the cave."

"Nobody goes any further until we scran it and get some readings on what might be lurking back there."

"All right, then, it's back to the Jupiter." Smith suggested.

"Not a good idea."

"And why not?"

"A blizzard is moving in. That's why I'm back early. About 15 minutes out, I saw the clouds gathering. It's snowing right now."

"Then let's make haste."

"We stay put until it's over. I already commed the Professor to let him know that we'll be waiting the storm out in this cave. I assured him that we'd get through the night without killing each other."

"Stay the night? Here?"

"Don't have much choice."

Dr. Smith shook his head. "You can stay, Major. Judith and I are going back to the Jupiter. It shouldn't take more than two or three hours."

"Look, Smitty, I'm from New England. I know a crippling storm when I see one. You go out there and you'll get turned around in the white outs and end up God knows where."

"Come, Judith, we'll be fine."

Judy trusted Don's instincts when it came to survival and did not move. "Dr. Smith, we're here for tonight."

"_Doctor Smith?_" Zachary repeated. Angry at Judy's defiance, he took her arm and pulled her towards the opening of the cave. "We leave now!"

Don, having had enough of Smith, snuck up behind him and knocked him out cold.

As Smith tumbled to the ground, Judy shouted, "Don! You didn't have to do that."

"It'll keep him here, won't it?"

She gave him an exasperated look while she examined Smith. "You didn't have to be so violent."

"You're right, but it felt good."

He stoked the fire and unpacked the survival gear that he had carried on his back. They hadn't planned on spending a night away from the ship, but Don knew enough to be prepared for the worst. There was enough freeze-dried food to last for two days, along with two sleeping bags. He laid one out on the floor of the cave and returned to Smith. He slung him over his shoulder and dumped him onto to the makeshift bed, then covered him with the other sleeping bag.

"Dinner?" Don asked as he pulled open a packet and tossed one to her.

"Thanks."

An uneasy silence hung between them as they ate. Don grabbed a stick and poked at the fire. "So, uh, did you and Smitty…"

"Dr. Smith."

"Did you and _Smitty_ enjoy your time together?"

"He's a brilliant man."

"You didn't answer my question."

"That's all you need to know."

"Oh, and I guess I can't compete."

"There _is_ no competition."

"Yeah… Right." He threw the stick aside and shifted uncomfortably on his haunches. "Tell me, Judy, how can you just forget about him trying to kill us?"

"He's changed."

"Has he?" Don tilted his head towards the cave opening. "How about what he just did to you?"

She bristled, "What do you mean?"

"He treated you like you were his… possession. How is that any different from me hitting on you?"

"That's totally different. Look, Don, he just didn't want to stay in this cave, and he didn't want me to be alone with you. He's really not a bad person."

"Really?" Don didn't bother to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

The dry nutrition bars stuck in their throats as they continued to eat.

He took a swig of water. "There is one thing that I don't understand, Judy. What's the attraction?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but he's teaching me a lot about medicine and culture."

"So you're using him."

It was a statement, not a question, so she didn't respond and made more out of cleaning up their dinner than was needed.

Don took her arm as she collected his empty packet. He stared into her eyes and softly said, "Do you _really_ think you're attracted to him? Is that what erases all his... nastiness?"

His eyes bored into hers, overwhelming her with feelings that she dared not admit to herself. He felt the electricity between them and held her fast so that she couldn't run away.

"I know you feel it, Judy. You're _really_ using him to stay away from me. Who are you afraid of? Me? Or yourself?"

She looked away and batted at his hand. "Let me go."

"Judy…"

"You're hurting my arm."

He withdrew his hold. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I know you don't mean to…"

"But, somehow, I always do?"

Judy couldn't bear to let him keep the upper hand. "You know, Major, you're quick to criticize Zachary, but what about you?"

He seemed genuinely puzzled and gave her a questioning look.

"Your reputation for, as you said yourself, having a 'girl in every port'?"

He had no argument for that one. It was true that he had a reputation, exaggerated though it might be, and he had to admit that he had gotten into the habit of hiding behind it rather than dealing with his true feelings.

"Hm… no response." Judy turned away from him. "I'm tired, Don. I'm going to get some sleep."

He stared into the flames and nodded towards the sleeping bags. "Go ahead. I'll keep watch."

Judy settled in next to Smith underneath the sleeping bag. She turned her back to both men and closed her eyes. She wanted no parts of Smith, no parts of Don, no parts of herself.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 5**

**The Determined Snake**

A small flame was all that was left of the fire. Don's body shivered as the cold penetrated his bones and he awoke, his back aching from leaning against the cave wall. He threw a few sticks onto the embers and stirred until the wood sparked. As the flames grew higher, he stood and stretched his legs to find Smith lying on his back, hands folded behind his head, staring intently at him.

"Smith! How long have you been awake?"

"Long enough."

"Why didn't you wake me? The fire almost died out."

"I'm quite warm."

"The fire keeps the snakes away… Oh, right, you're already here."

"Hilarious." Smith sat up. "I heard you trying to seduce Judith. You have nothing to offer her, you know."

"Shut-up, Smith."

"Beware, Major. Don't try to undermine me again."

Don stalked over and leaned over him, "Or what?"

Dr. Smith cowered.

Don paused another moment. "Your turn to keep the fire going."

Smith stood and sidled carefully past Don, who glowered at him. Don settled between the sleeping bags, as far from Judy as he could. Smith watched them as the night progressed. Soon after Don had fallen asleep, Judy unconsciously turned towards Don and snuggled against his back. Smith cursed under his breath and vowed that he would find a way to rid himself of the Major's threat.

Several hours later, Judy gradually awoke. The body next to her was as warm as a furnace and her arm hugged it closer. A strong, protective hand locked her forearm against his body inviting her to stay. She slowly opened her eyes and rose partially up on her elbow, her chin resting on her human pillow.

Staring her in the face, just inches away, was a snake. She screamed and the protective hand let go of her arm, snatched the snake's neck and pulled it away just as its fanged teeth lunged for her. The tail of the snake whipped around and struck her savior's face with its spiked tentacles, but he was a persistent opponent. He grabbed the snake's tail with his other hand and held it away.

Judy turned to see Dr. Smith sitting by the dead ashes of the fire. He was huddled near a portable heater and was watching the entire scenario with an odd look of… 'What?'… Anticipation? Fear?

"Smith, do something! I can't hold it forever!" Don shouted as the snake twisted and turned to escape his grip.

Smith didn't move, so Judy grabbed a log and beat at the snake's head as Don held it down. She cringed with each blow, but didn't stop until it was dead. Don released his hold and sat back down, panting with relief. Several ugly red welts appeared on his cheek and Judy immediately went to examine him. Don knocked her hand away and turned to Smith with a murderous look in his eye.

"You were supposed to keep the fire going."

Smith's expression feigned innocence. "I found the heater. It was so much warmer than the fire. I saw no need to bother with it."

"I told you that the fire kept the snakes away, but you were hoping that one would get me, weren't you?"

"Your infantile brain is jumping to erroneous conclusions, Major. I wanted no such thing."

Don felt the welts on his face, which were burning hot. He stood to confront Smith, but swayed with the effort, so Judy forced him to sit down again.

He held his head in his hands. "Start the fire again, or we'll be over run with snakes."

Judy shot daggers at Smith and he immediately followed Don's directive. "Please let me take a closer look at you, Don," she begged. "Those welts are swelling."

She assumed that the spiked tentacles contained venom and looked in the medical kit for something, anything that could help. As she fingered the wounds, he winced and pulled away from her touch. "I'm sorry. Here, take this antihistamine. I don't know if it'll help, but it won't hurt," she directed.

He shook his head. "It'll make me sleepy. I have to be alert."

"Just take it. We'll take care of you."

He finally looked her in the eye. "_We_?"

"_I_ will, I promise."

Don swallowed the capsule and lay back on the sleeping bag.

"What's it feel like, Don."

"Like somebody stuck a bunch of red hot pins in my cheek, and the pins…" he took a breath, "are spreading."

Heat radiated from his face, so Judy sent Dr. Smith to fill a container with snow. She wrapped some of it in a cloth.

"It's going to be cold." She pressed the cloth to his cheek.

He grit his teeth and closed his eyes. The pain was creeping throughout his body, and he could hear his heart pounding in his ears. She gently stroked his forehead to soothe him and he drifted off to sleep.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 6**

**Delirious Love **

The snow had been falling for twenty-four hours and the Robinsons, minus Judy, were safely tucked away in the Jupiter. Maureen stared out the viewport as the blizzard blew and wished that Judy and Don, and even Dr. Smith were with them. She turned to her husband who sat in the pilot's chair.

"I'm worried about them, John," Maureen stated.

"I'm sure they're fine, Maureen. They can take care of themselves."

"If Smith wasn't with them, I wouldn't be so concerned."

At that moment the transmitter beeped and John rose to answer the call.

"Dad?" Maureen didn't miss the anxiety in Judy's voice.

"It's both of us, Judy." Maureen responded. "What happened?"

"Don was attacked by a snake-like animal. We've got to get him back to the Jupiter."

"Is he stable?" John interjected.

"For now, but I'm worried. We don't have much that can help him in the med kit. We need an antidote, and that's going to take time."

"Can he walk?"

"No. He's too weak and has a fever."

"Will and Don were building a vehicle from the parts of the pod and chariot. I'll see if we can get it to run. Take care of him, sweetheart," John said and left to find Will.

"Judy? When your father gets to you, make sure you bring one of those creatures back with you. I'll do whatever research I can, but until I actually have one to dissect, I won't be able to do much. How bad is he?" Maureen asked.

"Bad, mom. The snake's tail had sharp tentacles that scratched his face. There are red welts on his cheek and they're burning hot. He said it felt like needles were radiating out from the scratches."

"That's enough information to get me started on the research. How are you coping being with both Don and Smith?"

Maureen heard a sharp intake of breath from Judy. "It's not easy, mom. It's not easy."

* * *

Dr. Smith pondered his latest miscalculation. He _had_ been hoping that the snake would bite West, but Smith hadn't counted on Judy being in the way. Once again, West had come out the hero. Watching Don succumb to the snake's venom, however, boosted Smith's hopes that he would yet get his wish to be rid of the moronic pilot.

"Come sit by me, Judith, there's nothing else you can do for him," Smith suggested.

Judy shook her head. She wished that she were alone with Don and didn't have to contend with Smith's pedantic ramblings.

Smith wondered what his next move should be. Perhaps if he were to save the man's life... As distasteful as that seemed to him, he felt that would be the best route to take.

"Let me examine him."

Judy sat back as Smith looked at Don.

"Hm... his fever is quite high."

"Zachary _did_ you want Don to be attacked by the snake?"

"That's a ridiculous question and I won't feed your suspicions by answering it."

Judy stared at him and wondered how she had been so blind. She quietly responded, "So, you did."

"Now, child, don't be absurd!" Smith was starting to panic. He had come so far with Judy; he didn't want to lose her now. "We need him. I wouldn't be foolhardy enough to injure our only pilot."

"Leave him alone Zachary." Judy's voice was threatening.

"Judith, darling..."

"I said, leave him alone."

Smith backed away from Don and sat across from Judy. "So, the doctor is falling for her patient, is she?"

"I won't let you hurt him."

Smith held his hands up in surrender. "Now, Judith, get a hold of your senses."

"I _have_, Zachary."

Don moaned from the where he lay and Judy bent over him. As he opened his eyes he called out to her, "Sondra?" His glazed eyes stared at her and he repeated, "Sondra, don't... don't leave."

Judy wondered whom he was talking about, but she squeezed his hand and played along. "I'm here, Don. I won't leave you."

He gave a half smile and mumbled, "Good, I was afraid that... you'd leave... I love you."

"I love you too," she echoed, and he drifted into unconsciousness once again.

"You see my dear; he doesn't even know who you are. Sondra? Must be one of his many, many flings. He probably tells women he loves them as easily as he falls into bed with them."

"Shut-up, Zach."

Judy wouldn't allow herself to drift off to sleep. She needed to be alert, as she no longer trusted Smith to watch their backs. Smith tried again to make-up with her, but she refused his entreaty. They sat in silence as he kept the fire going. Don thrashed in his sleep and woke briefly, his eyes wide with fear.

"Sondra?"

Judy leaned over him, "I'm here."

"Hold me?"

Judy settled next to him and let him nestle against her chest. She closed her eyes and her stomach fluttered. The usually composed, in-control Dr. Robinson was flooded by a sense of utter confusion. She knew that, if she gave into her instincts, her life would never be hers alone again. And that scared her.

The transponder beeped. Tears started to form at the corners of her eyes and she let them flow. Her father had come to rescue them.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 7**

**The Plague**

Maureen paced, waiting for John's return. _'Where are you?' _She had completed her research and had nothing more to do until she had one of the creatures in her hands. Maureen breathed a sigh of relief when the 'vehicle' finally pulled up to the ramp. It was no more than a platform with treads. The motor and steering mechanism still had kinks in it, but worked well enough to transport its cargo.

Penny rushed the gurney out to them as Maureen hugged Judy. John and Dr. Smith placed Don on the stretcher and hurried to the med bay. Once in her domain, Judy returned to her confident self. Her first directive was to banish Smith from the room. She started Don's IV and instructed Penny to bring the dead snakes she had placed in Don's backpack to their mother.

Maureen found that, once she had access to the snakes, the process of making the serum was rather easy. She manufactured more than enough to administer to Don and brought the syringe to his bed.

"Here it is. Do you want to put it in his intravenous line or inject it directly?"

"Directly."

Maureen watched as Judy prepared Don's arm for the needle. Don awoke once again and groaned in pain, so Maureen put a gentle hand on his brow to comfort him. As he looked at her, his mind saw someone else.

"Mom? Mom... hurts," he mumbled.

"I know, Don. We're giving you the medicine now. You'll be all right. I'm here."

He gave her a pained smile and closed his eyes.

Maureen sighed and commented, "He's like a frightened little boy."

Judy didn't respond as she disposed of the syringe.

Maureen wondered what was going through her daughter's mind. "Judy, what happened in that cave?"

She opened her mouth to respond and closed it again. She felt responsible for all that had happened. If she hadn't allowed her head to be turned by Dr. Smith's attentions, or if she hadn't given Don that kiss on the bridge, maybe they wouldn't be where they were.

Before she could make another attempt to answer, the med bay doors swished open and John strode into the room. "How is he?"

"Judy just gave him the anti-venom. We'll know if it's effective in the next six hours," Maureen explained.

John placed his hand on his daughter's shoulder. "Judy, it's going to be a long night, why don't you get some rest. Your mother and I will watch over him."

"I'm okay."

"You need the sleep, and, besides, Penny wants to know how he is. She's babbling about how she should be in here since you claimed Smith and left Don for her."

"I didn't claim anybody!" Judy shouted. She turned her back on her parents and her shoulders shook.

John placed a hand on her shoulder and asked, "Judy, what's wrong?"

"I don't know. I thought I knew what I was doing…" Judy took a breath and closed her eyes, hugging herself. She shook her head to clear her mind and admonished herself to 'get a grip'. "You're right. I just need some sleep. Call me if he gets any worse. Whatever you do, don't let Smith in here."

John reassured her and Maureen added, "Hey, he's with 'mom'."

Judy nodded and left. She was two steps away from her room when Penny, her eyes wide with concern, stopped her. "Is he going to be all right?"

"I think so, Penny. Just pray that we got the serum into him in time."

"Can I go in and hold his hand?"

Tears unexpectedly sprang from Judy's eyes, but she tried to hide them. "Mom and Dad are with him, I guess you'd have to ask them."

"Judy? I won't go in there if you don't want me to."

"It's okay. Go ahead, Penny. Good night." Judy entered her room and locked the door.

After allowing Penny a moment to see that Don was sleeping soundly, Maureen walked her back to her room. She was about to stop by Judy's cabin, but thought better of it and returned to the med bay with two cups of tea. John gratefully accepted his and settled down for a worried discussion about his eldest.

"What do you think is going on with her, Maureen?"

"I think she's confused by her feelings for Don and Smith."

"She has too good a head on her shoulders to be taken in by Smith."

"Maybe it has nothing to do with her head."

Don stirred and called out Judy's name. Maureen placed her hand on his forehead and he quieted. Not a minute later, Smith was at the door.

John held his hand up to Maureen to indicate that he would take care of Smith and confronted him at the entrance.

"What do you want, Smith?"

"I just want to check on the patient. After all, he did save Judy's life."

John raised his eyebrows, "Did he, now? I didn't know that."

"Didn't Judy tell you?"

"No, why don't you tell us?"

"He grabbed the snake before it lunged at her. He has excellent reflexes, you know." Smith peered over John's shoulder into the room, "Judy?"

"She's not here, Smith. Both she and the Major need their rest, just as I'm sure you do. Now, run along to your quarters. Good night."

Smith gave John a tight smile and turned towards the hallway that led to Judy's room instead of his own.

John called after him and pointed to the correct hallway, "Dr. Smith, that way?"

Smith nodded and hurried down the hall. John watched him to be sure he entered his cabin. Smith closed the door behind him and thought, _'So, we're taking sides, are we? They have no idea whom they are dealing with.'_

John reentered the med bay and commented, "That man is like a plague."

Maureen chuckled and replied, "Let's hope his plague is curable."

The med bay doors opened yet again and John stated, "What is this, Grand Central Station?"

"Why do you say that?" Judy asked as she entered, dark circles under her eyes.

"First Penny, then Smith, now you..." her father answered.

"You didn't let him in, did you?" She seemed panicked.

"No. Unlike some people on this ship," he glanced at Don's sleeping form, "I can follow orders."

Judy audibly sighed and went to examine Don. "Not much change is there." She gently took his hand and held it.

"It's only been a couple of hours, Judy. Give him some time." Maureen paused a moment and continued. "Are you ready to tell us what happened?"

"Smith said Don saved your life," John interjected.

"Dr. Smith actually said that?" Judy was genuinely surprised.

Her father nodded.

"He probably saved both our lives. When Don told us that we had to spend the night in the cave, Zachary tried to bring me back to the Jupiter with him, but Don snuck up behind him and knocked him out."

"Good for Don," John murmured. "And _when_ did it become '_Zachary_'?"

Judy ignored his remark. "When the snake was about to bite me, Don reached out and grabbed it, that's when the tail whipped around and slashed his face."

"What was Smith doing when all this happened?" Maureen asked.

"I don't know. Watching, I guess. He was supposed to be tending the fire. I finally killed it while Don held it down."

"Supposed to be?"

"The fire was out."

John, always suspicious of Smith, asked, "Judy, do you think Smith intended for the snake to attack you?"

"No, not me. I sat up and got in the way just as the snake was about to attack Don."

"So the rivalry is becoming dangerous," Maureen stated.

"Mom, as I told Don, there is no competition."

"Don't be naïve, Judy. It became obvious to me on the Promised Planet that they both set their sites on you. Don has always been up front with his pursuit, but Smith was an unexpected entry. What are you going to do about it?"

Judy found her ire mounting. "I don't know."

"You're the only one who can solve the problem."

"If we were on Earth, there wouldn't be a problem!"

"But we're not on Earth. This competition is only going to escalate until you make a decision between them."

"Suppose I don't want either one of them!"

"Then say it and stop leading them on."

"I can't do that!"

"Why not?"

"Because I don't _know_ what I want!"

John watched them going back and forth. He hadn't been concerned about Judy's ability to handle Don and his innuendoes. Smith was another matter. Judy had no experience with men who were master manipulators, and Smith was not one to stop until he got what he wanted. For some reason Smith wanted Judy, and she hadn't rejected him. That was absolutely terrifying.

Don moaned and his eyes fluttered open. This time he recognized Judy for who she was. She was about to withdraw her hand, but Don gripped it tighter.

"Judy," he whispered, his voice filled with relief, "I'm glad it's you."

She wanted to tell him that she didn't believe him, but her voice caught in her throat. She tried to stop a tear from escaping her eye, but it slid off her cheek and splashed onto his hand.

The worry line between his eyes deepened and he asked, "You okay?"

She shook her head and wiped another tear away. "I'm fine. Just worry about yourself, Major."

The worry line didn't disappear. His eyes continued to search her face. He had never seen her so discomforted. He fought to keep his eyes open, but lost the battle as they closed against his will. Judy kissed his forehead and closed her eyes to keep the tears at bay, but the dam broke as one tear followed another down her face.

John placed an arm around her shoulder, and she learned her head against his chest.

"I'm so confused! I thought Dr. Smith had changed," she admitted as she wiped her eyes with her fingers. "He just… there's so much he wants to teach me."

"And you were impressed by that." Maureen stated.

"He's a genius, but when he kissed me…"

"He _kissed_ you?" John interrupted.

"Yes, Dad, he kissed me, but it was like kissing a pillow."

John breathed a sigh of relief. "Nothing like the fireworks you had with Don on the bridge, was it?"

"No, no it wasn't, but Don can be such a… a brute sometimes."

"He'd call it his 'boyish charms'."

"He _would_… But when he's near me, I feel electrified. When Zachary touches me, I want to push him away."

"I'd say you have your answer right there," her mother advised.

"It's not that simple, mom. I want more than physical attraction from a man."

"Take a closer look, Judy," John suggested. "Don may have more to offer than you realize."

"And maybe that's what you're afraid of," Maureen added.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 8**

**Tea and Sympathy**

Smith lay in his bed, waiting… and thinking. There was no way he was going to allow West to win Judy's heart by default. He reconsidered his plan of saving the pilot's life. How could he winnow his way back into Judy's good graces? His mind, always scheming, wrapped itself around a plan. After he heard John and Maureen retire for the night, he went down to the galley and prepared two cups of tea. After his misadventure on the promised planet, his room had been cleaned out of all drugs by Judy and the major during his detox, but they had not found his small stash of barbiturates, amphetamines and antihistamines in the lining of his leather jacket. That would be enough for both of them.

He called Judy's name at the med bay door. "I brought a cup of tea for you."

"Go away, Zachary."

"Judith, please. Listen to me. I know you believe that I intended for the major to get hurt, but I was… I am ashamed to admit this… I was frozen with fear. You know how I am. Nature and I are an impossible mix. Place an animal near me and I recoil, scared as a kitten."

Judy, unsure of herself, didn't respond. He had described himself to a 't'.

"Judith?"

A soothing cup of tea _was_ enticing. She set aside her doubts and walked to the door "Open."

Dr. Smith stood in front of her, his eyes drooping like those of a bloodhound. He offered her a mug, and she gratefully accepted it.

"May I come in for a few moments?"

Judy glanced at Don, and nodded. He had been gradually improving and would probably sleep through the night. She saw no harm in allowing Smith in, as long as she was there to keep an eye on him.

Judy sipped at the tea. "You told my parents that Don saved my life."

"I thought they should know the truth. As embarrassed as I am at my own behaviors, I couldn't let the major's bravery go unnoticed. How is he?"

"I believe the anti-venom is working. Of course, there could be side effects that we don't know about, but his fever is down and he seems to be breathing more steadily."

"I would suggest that you keep him hooked up to the monitors just to be sure he remains stable."

"Yes, I was planning on doing that." She yawned.

"Judith, you are exhausted. Why don't you get some sleep? I can stay and watch over him."

Judy was tempted to accept his offer, but a part of her brain remained distrustful of him. She also knew that, if Don awoke and saw Smith watching over him, he'd probably have a heart attack. "No, I'm fine. I'll stay. Thank you for the tea. I have to write a few notes into his medical log. I'll see you in the morning."

Dismissed, Smith nodded to her and left, but he didn't go far. He placed his mug on the floor and waited ten minutes in the hall. Penny left her room just in time to see Smith reenter the med bay. She crept closer to the doorway, wondering what Smith was up to this time.

Smith worked quickly. He produced several capsules of an antihistamine and amphetamine and emptied them into a large spoon. Lighting a match, he melted the mixture and added it to Don's IV. Judy, head on her desk, was in a deep sleep and didn't stir when Smith went over and picked up her mug. He whirled around as the door opened and Penny entered, hands on her hip.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked.

"Penny, precious, you startled me. I was just retrieving your sister's tea mug to return it to the galley. She is exhausted. I suggest we simply let her sleep. Come now, back to bed with you."

"I don't want to go back to bed. I came to see how Don is."

"Fine, do what you like." He gave an exaggerated yawn. "I, on the other hand, am exhausted. Good night!"

Penny gave him a slit-eyed stare as he slithered past her. She checked on Don and he seemed to be sleeping soundly. Judy would suffer from a stiff neck in the morning, but Penny decided that Smith was right. Judy did indeed need the sleep, so she left her alone. She settled into a chair near her 'dream boat' and sighed. She knew what she felt for Don was an adolescent crush, but she wanted to enjoy every minute of it for as long as it lasted.

Penny spoke into her wrist camera. "The space captive keeps watch over the ailing astronaut. Dr. Judy, the object of desire for the only two single men in the Robinson galaxy, sleeps restlessly at her desk. Why does the fair maiden seem troubled and confused? If the raven-haired space captive were in the good doctor's shoes, there would be no choice. Physical attraction would win over intellectual compatibility, hands down."

She wondered what would happen if Judy decided to give in to her attraction for Don? Judy was always so smart, so controlled, ruled by her head. If she would only relax a little, she would realize that Don was perfect for her. Well, until that happened, Penny could dream that he was hers. She sighed, but was pulled out her reverie by the erratic beats of Don's heart monitor. The steady blips had morphed into arrhythmic spikes and his body twitched as if he were having seizures. Penny ran over to Judy.

"Judy! Judy, wake up!" She shook her. "Please, Judy! There's something wrong with Don! Judy!"

Judy stirred and turned her head, unable to lift it off the table. She brushed Penny away with her hand.

"Oh…" Penny ran out of the med bay and banged on Smith's door. "Dr. Smith! Dr. Smith, wake up, we need you! There's something wrong with Don and I can't wake up Judy."

Before the last sentence was out of Penny's mouth, Dr. Smith was out the door and hurrying down the hall. He quickly examined Don and had him stabilized within a matter of minutes. Judy, finally roused by the commotion, stood and placed her hand on her desk to steady herself. Shaking her head, she made her way over to Don's bedside. He was breathing normally again and his heartbeat was regular.

"Thank God you were here, Zachary. Thank you," Judy murmured.

"Never fear, Smith is here, Judith. Now run along to bed, I'll watch over him."

"I don't think so, Dr. Smith. Don wouldn't want you in here," Penny stated.

"I saved his life, precious. I'm sure he will be indebted to me, but you stay. I will walk Judith to her room and retire myself."

After they left, Penny addressed her video diary. "The space captive is once again alone with the daring, handsome pilot. Although he came close to death, he will recover due to the medical intervention of the saboteur, Dr. Zachary Smith, but why was the fair maiden, Dr. Judy, unable to rouse herself from sleep to assist her suffering patient? Was she an unsuspecting victim in a diabolical plan hatched by the evil Smith? The truth will be uncovered."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 9**

**Rivals End?**

Stumbling into the galley for breakfast, Judy gratefully accepted a mug of coffee from her father

"What happened last night?" her father asked.

Judy sipped at her coffee. "What do you mean?"

"Penny told us that Don was in crisis and she had to get Dr. Smith because she couldn't wake you up."

"I must have been more tired than I realized."

"Tired? You look like you have a hangover."

"I don't know, Dad. I just… I had some tea and I just couldn't stay awake."

"Penny caught Smith in the med bay when you were asleep at your desk. He was taking your tea mug."

She shrugged. "He brought me the tea. He was probably taking the mug back to the galley."

Maureen breezed in and greeted her. "Well, if it isn't Sleeping Beauty. How do you feel?"

"Groggy."

"Don seems much better. You might want to stop in and see him. He's awake and Will is with him."

"Does he know Dr. Smith saved his life?"

"Not exactly. Do you think he needs to know?"

John interrupted, "I'm surprised Smith hasn't rubbed it in his face already."

"I'll go see Don," Judy said as she turned to go.

Maureen watched Judy leave. "You know, John, something isn't right here."

"You don't think Smith put something in Judy's tea, do you?"

"I think he did."

"But why would he do that?"

"To slip something into Don's IV?"

"That doesn't make sense. He worked on Don when Penny called him."

Penny strode in at that moment. "Judy will think Dr. Smith is the hero this time. Maybe Dr. Smith thinks that will score him more points with Judy?"

"Do you really think Smith would go that far?" John asked.

"I wouldn't put it past him," his wife replied.

"I have the evidence that could prove it." Penny produced the IV bag from the previous night. "Dr. Smith replaced it when he was working on Don, but there's still some liquid left in it."

"Penny, you're becoming a little Nancy Drew," Maureen stated.

Both John and Penny said in unison, "Who?"

"Nancy Drew, amateur detective?" Still no recognition. "Forget it. I'll test the liquid to see what we've got in there. In the meantime, keep a close watch on Smith."

* * *

Judy entered the med bay and stood back to watch the interplay between Will and Don. They were looking over a crudely drawn blueprint of a vehicle and sounded like two NASA engineers. Well, one of them sounded like an engineer. The other sounded like a drag racer.

"I think we can soup up the engine a little bit more if we just..." Don noticed Judy standing by the door. "Hey Doc, come on in and check this out."

Judy strode over to the boys wearing a Mona Lisa smile. She put her arm around Will's shoulders and peered at the drawing. Tilting her head she asked, "What is it?"

Chagrined, Don replied, "What do you mean, 'what is it'? Can't you tell?"

Judy's smile faded. Will spoke up before she could make a sarcastic comment. "It's a vehicle made from the parts of the chariot and space pod."

Hitting her forehead with the palm of her hand, she exclaimed, "Oh, of course! How stupid of me!"

Don didn't appreciate her comment and was about to open his mouth when Judy asked, "What are you going to call it?"

The boys stared at each other, eyebrows raised.

Don tried first, "The podiot?"

"The charpod?" Will offered.

A commotion at the door grabbed their attention. The Blawp bounded in with Penny behind it, and jumped onto Don's lap. Blawp reached out to his face, stopping just short of touching his wounded cheek, sympathy pouring from those huge eyes.

Will and Don exclaimed simultaneously, "The Blawp-mobile!"

The Blawp's head drew back and she gave a hearty nod and even wider smile. The foursome laughed at her antics and didn't notice the door opening. Smith stood and stared. _'My, my. Isn't this a heart warming scene,' _he thought to himself. Using his best 'physician's' voice he immediately stopped the merriment. "Excuse me, but is this a recreation area or medical bay? Out with you… all of you. I have to examine my patient."

That stopped the giggling immediately. Don's eyes flashed, "_Your_ patient? No way. _You_ are not touching me."

"Do explain medical protocol to the man, Dr. Robinson. As I was the last physician to treat him, I have the responsibility to examine him."

Will took the blueprints from Don's lap and looked at Penny. Now would be a good time to escape, he thought. Penny was rooted in place, however, for she wanted to see how this battle would end.

Judy looked into her coffee mug, as if it held the words she needed to explain the situation to Don. "He's right, Don. He treated you last night. I was… I fell asleep at my desk and couldn't wake up."

Penny interjected, "It was my fault, Don. I ran and got Dr. Smith. I was in here with you and Judy. Your heart monitor was all over the place, and I couldn't wake Judy up, so I _had_ to get Dr. Smith."

Don stared at Smith. Something didn't sit right with him, but he had no idea what it was. "Well, I guess I owe you an apology and my thanks, Smith."

Smith bowed slightly. "No charge, Major." He shooed the others away. "Now out with all of you."

Don grabbed Judy's arm. "Not you, Doc. You're not leaving me alone with him."

Penny ran immediately to her mother's lab. "Well?"

"Traces of amphetamine and antihistamine. Enough to put his heart into arrhythmia."

"I knew it! Let's go tell them. Dr. Smith is examining Don now."

Maureen panicked for a moment, "Is Judy with them?"

"Don wouldn't let her leave."

"Tell your father to meet me in the med bay. I'm ending this rivalry – now."

The med bay doors swished open and Maureen marched in, a mother on a mission, and found Dr. Smith completing his cursory examination of Don.

"So… how is our 'testosterone laden' Don Juan, Dr. Brilliant Scheming Scientist?"

Both men were dumbfounded. Even Dr. Smith's mouth hung open in shock.

"Mom, what are doing?" Judy nervously asked.

Maureen turned towards her daughter. "And you, confused fair maiden in distress, do you have your wits about you? Because what I'm about to say concerns you, too."

Penny entered with John and stood beside her father in anticipation.

"Thank you, Penny. You can leave now," Maureen commanded.

"But, Mom, this affects me too!" Penny begged.

"I don't think so, young lady, maybe in five years, but not right now."

Penny saw her mother's glare of death and knew she was serious, but she couldn't resist one roll of her eyes before leaving.

John crossed his arms and stood by the door like a secret service agent. No one was leaving this room until the lover's triangle was dismantled.

All eyes were expectantly on Maureen, who placed the IV bag with the tested liquid on Don's bed. Smith's anxiety meter went up at least ten points.

Maureen started the accusation. "Dr. Smith, would you care to tell us what you added to this bag?"

Smith squirmed. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'd say that Judy and Don must have missed a spot when they cleared your room of all medications. I don't believe amphetamine and antihistamine were ingredients that Judy added to Don's IV. Medications that, when overdosed, could cause heart arrhythmia. Not in and of itself fatal, but, given our lack of knowledge about the poison in Don's system, could have been, and at least appeared to be, life threatening."

Don sat up to threaten Smith, "Why you…" Judy automatically put a hand on his shoulder to hold him back.

"Get a hold of yourself, Don. It's just as much my fault as his. If I hadn't been asleep, none of this would have happened," Judy confessed.

"And why were you in such a deep sleep?" John asked. "You've never slept through a medical crisis before. Why last night? And who brought you that cup of tea?"

Judy turned a scornful eye on Smith. "You put a sleeping pill in my tea. You…" This time it was Don who held _her _back.

Smith held his hands up in front of him. "Yes! Yes, you are all correct! I confess. I was so desperate to win back Judy's affections that I set up a situation in which I finally had a chance to be a hero," he swept an arm towards Don, "instead of this…"

"Watch it, Smith," Don warned.

"Judy," Maureen demanded, "you need to end this triangle now. This is a dangerous game they're playing and we can't afford the consequences if either one of them miscalculate. The three of you either grow up or I swear to you, I will…"

"Stop, Mom. Stop. I know I've made a mess of things." Judy looked down at the floor, unable to meet anyone's eyes and quietly continued. "I was… I guess I was enjoying the attention and the competition between them. I know it has to end."

A heavy silence filled the room. Dr. Smith's drooping eyes settled on Judy, expectantly. Don's worry line formed on his forehead and he looked away. Maureen stepped back and joined her husband. She had set the stage, but Judy had to end the drama.

Every cell in Judy's body screamed at her to run out of the room. She forced herself to stay. "I have a lot to analyze… about myself as much as the two of you."

"Take your time my dear, we are not going anywhere. I will be patiently waiting for your decision," Dr. Smith graciously stated.

"And I'll make things easier for you, Judy." Don silently kicked himself for his next statement. "I'll take myself out of the running."

_'No!'_ echoed in her head, but her lips remained silent.

A triumphant smile crossed Smith's lips, but it wasn't long before his eyes narrowed. _'What is he up to?'_

"Just promise me one thing," Don pleaded as he placed a gentle hand on Judy's forearm. His eyes locked onto hers. "That, while you're sorting things out about yourself, you listen to your heart, not just your head."

Judy bit her lip and nodded. She didn't understand why the tears welled up in her eyes as she returned his intense stare. It was as if he knew her better than she knew herself. She bowed her head and slipped out of the room. Dr. Smith attempted to follow her, but John blocked the doorway. Immediately understanding the message, he bowed his head in acceptance.

"Now, gentlemen," Maureen started. "We still have to deal with the two of you. Your threats and manipulations have to stop. Is that understood?"

Both nodded. Maureen was not someone either one of them wanted to trifle with under any circumstances.

She turned her eyes on Don. "My daughter is not a plaything." She then faced to Smith, "Nor a lump of modeling clay. Despite your opinions of each other, you are cohabitants on this ship. You _will_ find a way to live together without murdering each other in the first, second or third degree. Are you capable of doing that?"

The two men stared at each other. "I will if you will, Major," Smith offered. He held out his hand, and Don, hesitantly, accepted it. He would never trust Smith, but he saw no reason to continue the twisted game they had been playing, or, rather, Smith had been playing.

Satisfied that there was nothing more she could do, Maureen motioned John aside and left the room without seeing her husband's admiring stare. Dr. Smith, a grim smile on his face, soon followed. As the doorway closed behind him, John shook his head and made his way to Don's bedside.

"So, Major, you _are_ in love with my daughter."

"Head over heels." Don's eyes twinkled and he couldn't resist adding, "Just like her father is with her mother."

"Excellent powers of observation, Major. Keep following your instincts. You'll be fine."


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 10**

**Cream of the Crop**

By the next day, Don declared himself fully recovered and left the med bay. Although he was sure he was ready to continue his search for fuel, John wanted to give him one more day to recuperate before venturing back into the wilderness. Since Maureen's attempt to dismantle the triangle, Judy had kept her distance from both Smith and Don, always wearing her professional mask around them. Don, a man of his word, respected her space, but Smith placed music CD's outside her door, still attempting to connect with her. Judy would pick them up, but placed them in a corner of her room without listening to them.

Bored with being relegated to the ship during his recuperation, Don wandered out to gaze at the stars. Before long, Penny was at his side and Will soon followed. The three stood in the snow and gazed at the unfamiliar night sky.

"How about makin' like the Greeks and naming the constellations?" Don ventured. Both enthusiastically agreed and started to scan the heavens. Penny was the first to point out a group of stars and declared, "I see a mouse! And there's a lion chasing it."

Don nodded and squeaked, "Don't eat me, your Majesty!" Both children looked at him in bewilderment. "Don't you know that story?" he asked. They shook their heads, so Don entranced them with his version of the fairy tale, The Lion and the Mouse. "The moral of the story is that even small squirts like you two can save the day."

Judy and her mother stood in the hatch of the Jupiter and listened in amusement. "He certainly has his own way with words." Maureen stated.

Nodding, Judy added, "Unusual though it may be." She continued to watch their interactions for a few more moments, and then went back into the ship.

Penny gazed at Don's face and was mesmerized by his voice. She sighed. _'If only I were ten years older.' _

Will stated, "You've got to tell that one to my parents. They think we can't do anything."

Don chuckled. "I think I'll leave that to you. I'm not sure I'm the one who should be giving them parenting tips."

"Dad would listen to you."

"Maybe, but I'm not so sure about your mom. I'm not exactly one of her favorite people right now."

Will pointed to a set of stars. "See that cluster over there? It looks like a star destroyer."

Don glanced at Will and affirmed his observation. "Yeah, like in that old movie, Star Wars." Scanning the sky himself, he pointed to a small cluster over the Jupiter. "Now that one looks like a mug. And what I would give for a nice cold one right now."

As if on cue, Judy strolled out with a mug of hot chocolate for him. "Did I hear you put in an order, your Majesty?"

Raising an eyebrow, Don responded, "Not exactly what I had in mind, but the waitress more than makes up for it."

Hand propped on her hip, Judy's eyes narrowed, "You know… there are a few things I could do with this, Major."

'Uh, oh…' Holding his hands up in a placating fashion, he pleaded, "Now, Judy, I was just trying to be nice. That wasn't a come-on!"

"It better not be."

"What about us?" Will asked.

"You and Penny can get your own hot chocolate," Judy responded.

"Go ahead, Will. I don't want any," Penny said. She wasn't about to leave Judy alone with Don.

"What do you see up there?" Don asked.

Pointing, Judy noted, "I see a heart right there. And there's another."

He was watching her face rather than the sky, studying every feature. _'Do you think that they'll ever get together?' _The words formed on his lips, but he sipped at the hot liquid to keep them from spilling out of his mouth. If they were ever going to get together, it was going to be through Judy's efforts, not his own. He had promised himself that he would give her time to discover her own mind. He hoped that the professor was right about his instincts. He always had confidence in his flying instincts… his instincts towards women? Well, that was another matter.

Judy found herself leaning against him as she scanned the heavens. He felt so solid and she ached for him to put his arms around her, but he didn't move. She had to admit that she felt safe and protected with him. _'If only he had Zachary's brain,' _she lamented.

Speaking of Zachary, he appeared at the open hatch of the ship and observed the scene before him. _'This is trouble,'_ he told himself. "Judy!" he barked, "I need your assistance in the medical bay."

She quickly stepped away from Don. "I'll be there in a minute."

"Now, please." was the terse reply.

Don sighed, "You better go. You don't want him to get any more irritated than he already is."

"Thank you, Don."

"For what?"

"For giving me space and for… for polishing your armor a little bit more."

Penny had kept her tongue long enough. "You really should go, Judy. I thought you weren't going to flirt with either Don or Dr. Smith."

"I'm not… oh, all right." She walked towards the ship and the man who wanted to be more than her 'mentor'.

'Uh, Judy," Don called after her, "Thanks for the warm mug. I needed it."

"Don!" Penny was exasperated. How was she going to get Don to wait for her to grow up? She knew how this story was going to end. Once Judy got her head on straight, Don would be hers. Judy, her parents' favorite, always got what she wanted.

Don had an idea of what was going through Penny's mind, and he definitely didn't want to encourage her. "Come on, squirt, its getting cold out here. Let's go in and chart what we've named so far."

"Someday, Major West, you're going to stop calling me 'squirt'."

"You're right! I hope we'll be calling you 'Aunt Penny' instead. Go ahead… give me the eye roll."

Penny complied.

"Good. Now let's go inside. I'll even make you some hot chocolate."

* * *

"Well, my dear, you were getting rather cozy with the Major." Dr. Smith accused when Judy joined him in the med bay.

"I was taking care of my patient, Zachary."

"I'm sorry, Judith, I know how handsome most women find him, and I just feel so, so inadequate."

Her patience with him had worn thin. "What did you want me for?"

"I came across a fascinating bit of medical knowledge that you might find interesting."

He proceeded to lecture her on an irrelevant bit of psychiatry. She realized that he had just wanted to get her away from Don, and she was in no mood to listen to his proselytizing.

"Zachary, I'm sorry, I'm not interested in this right now. I'll see you tomorrow."

'_You may be losing this war, Zachary,'_ Smith thought as he watched her leave.

* * *

A hot shower was exactly what Judy needed. She let the water run down her back and cleared her mind of Smith and his condescending attitude. Her thoughts wandered to when Don was lying in her arms in the cave. Despite the warm water, she shivered at the memory. _'How would Don react if I finally gave in to him?'_ Judy knew exactly how he would react and wiped that thought from her mind. The entire idea of 'giving in' nauseated her. Drying off, she thought back to her few experiences with relationships, if they could even be called that. None had been satisfying, as she had always demanded that intellectual compatibility be foremost in her romances.

The image of an equilateral triangle entered her mind. She was looking for a balance of mind, heart, and body. Intellect had always been the apex. Maybe it was time to turn the triangle. What would happen if she placed body on top for a while? Maybe the heart would then work itself out. At the very least, she would be less sexually frustrated.

She wandered into the galley for her nightly cup of tea and found her father and Don engaged in a chess battle. Don and chess didn't seem to match up in her mind, and it always surprised her to see him involved in the game. Judy sat with the men as the battle continued.

"Checkmate!" Don's smile of triumph was contagious.

"What?" John didn't see his move coming.

"Best two out of three?"

"I've had enough for tonight, genius. I'm going to check on the kids and find Maureen. Good night." John kissed his daughter on the forehead and whispered, "Good night, Judy."

Don made his own tea and rejoined Judy at the table. "So, how are you doing with your, uh, self-discovery?"

"It's coming along." She stirred her tea.

"That's good."

An awkward silence followed as they avoided eye contact.

"Has Smith…" Don stopped.

"Has Smith what?"

"Nah, forget it. It's none of my business."

They both sipped their beverages.

"Don?"

"Yeah?"

She hesitated, but then continued. "I've been thinking a lot about my," she tilted her head, "my romantic history, not that I have much of a history. There just wasn't any time in my life for romance, so the few relationships I had were brief and… unsatisfying."

Don chuckled.

Judy sat taller. "You think that's funny?"

"No!" He fingered his mug. "No, it's just that, I could say the same thing about myself."

"You? With your reputation?"

"Reputations aren't always what they're cracked up to be."

"So you're not the 'stud' that everyone says you are?"

"Well, I wouldn't exactly say _that_… My, uh, partners always were, or… _seemed to be,_ quite, uh, satisfied."

"Oh, I see."

"Wait, Judy, I didn't mean for it to sound so…"

She interrupted him. "It's okay. In fact, I'm glad because I've…" She gripped her mug with both hands and decided to plunge ahead. "I've thought about…" She blushed and looked away. "Giving in to you."

His jaw almost hit the table. "You mean…" He shook his head. The words 'giving in' just didn't sit right with him. He sipped his tea and forced the cooler side of his brain to prevail. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but…" He gazed at her face. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"What?" Did he just say what she thought he said?

"I mean… that's not you, Judy."

"So, are you saying that I'm not good enough for you?" she teased.

He remained serious. "You're the type of woman that guys like me can only _dream_ about. Love and sex are one and the same to you. I knew that the first time I laid eyes on you."

"Then, why do you hit on me so much?"

He shrugged. "A guy can always hope. Besides, the only reason I thought I had half a chance with you was because you don't have much to choose from. I mean, come on, me and Smitty aren't exactly the cream of the crop."

"You mean I don't fit in with a 'saboteur' or a 'girl in every port' type of guy?"

Don stared into his mug. "No. No you don't."

"Hm…" She sipped her tea, but kept her eyes on him. "Don?"

He looked up expectantly.

"Who was Sondra?"

He froze. How did she find out about her? His face burned, but not from the snake sting. He squeezed the cup and wasn't sure he wanted to delve into those memories again.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

He glanced at her concerned face and looked away. Funny how the pain was still there, even after all this time. "Sondra was a girl I dated a long time ago."

"The tattoo?"

"Yeah."

"You loved her."

"No, I didn't… I…" He saw those clear blue eyes staring at him and found he couldn't lie to her or to himself. "Yeah… I did. I loved her. We met at the academy and I wanted to marry her after graduation." He shrugged. "She said yes."

"What happened?"

"I found her in bed… with her roommate… her _female_ roommate."

"Oh." Judy covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. The more she tried to hold it back, the harder it became and giggles spilled from her lips. "I'm sorry, Don… I don't mean to…" She couldn't stop and laughed so hard that tears formed in her eyes.

Don was shocked by her response. He was hurt and embarrassed that he had left himself open to such ridicule. _'Macho West, laughing stock of the galaxy,' _he thought to himself_. 'So studly, he drove his fiancé into the arms of a woman.'_ The absurdity of that thought suddenly struck him as funny indeed, and laughter welled up from his gut and gushed until his stomach hurt.

Smith overheard them and strode into the galley to interrupt their mirth. He found them gripping each other's forearms across the table, as if trying to hold onto each other's sanity. When he appeared, West motioned for him to join them.

Between guffaws, Don blurted out, "I'm a… a… gay-makin'… machine!" which sent Judy into yet another tail spinning round of laughter.

Smith, decidedly uncomfortable, had no idea what to make of the couple's hilarity and left without leaving a comment. Perhaps he had been wrong about Judy's potential as a suitable companion for himself. Her display with West was simply uncouth. He had expected her to possess more grace, more dignity and was quite disappointed in her.

"Trust me, it's not contagious!" West called after him, but Smith ignored him.

Their laughter gradually subsided, and Don slid his arm away from hers, but when their hands touched, Judy entwined her fingers in his and held on tight. Their eyes locked. She stood and walked around the table. Leaning down, she touched her lips to his. He pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms around her. Her hands touched his jaw as their kiss deepened, and she circled her arms around his neck, welcoming the warmth of his body against hers. She wanted him to scoop her up and carry her to a place where she could leave her mind behind. He trailed kisses across her cheek and buried his head in her neck.

"So, my quarters or yours?" Judy murmured.

His head shot up and he was speechless, but only for a few seconds. "How about right here, on the galley table?"

She looked around. "Sure. Right here would be fine."

Instead of pouring water over her head to cool her down, he stood and carried her to her room. After gently laying her on the bed, he whispered, "I know I'm going to regret this in the morning." He kissed her deeply, turned and left the room.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 11**

**Kiss for Luck**

The smell of coffee filled the galley as the family gathered for breakfast. Don cheerfully handed mugs to John and Maureen after they entered. They took their first sips and exchanged questioning looks.

"Well, Don, you're not usually so… vivacious first thing in the morning. What brought this on?" Maureen asked.

"Let's just say that, uh, Dr. Judy helped me resolve one or two issues last night."

"Laughing therapy?" John questioned.

"It's quite effective!" Don replied.

Judy sauntered in and targeted Don with a lustful stare. He poured her coffee and handed it to her, purposely brushing her hand as he released the mug. The electricity between them was almost visible and John wondered if Judy had finally succumbed to the major's 'boyish charms'.

Judy's first words were, "You ran away last night."

He smiled and glanced at her father, "Just following my instincts."

"Me too… finally. So, what can we do to get our instincts 'on the same page'?"

Before he could reply, Dr. Smith strolled in and commented, "Well, if it isn't the two laughing hyenas."

"Mornin', Smitty! Have some coffee." Don graciously offered him a mug.

"My, aren't we cheery this morning."

Smith's entrance caused an immediate change in Judy's demeanor. She turned away from Don and took a seat at the table, the sparkle faded from her eyes. This convinced Don that his instincts were on target. She still had issues to resolve. _'I've waited this long, I can wait as long as she needs me to,'_ he told himself.

"Judith, dear," Smith started, "you haven't commented on the music I left at your door. What did you think of it?"

"Actually, Zachary, I haven't listened to it," she answered.

"Too busy… laughing… I suppose"

"WARNING… WARNING…" The robot rumbled into the room with Will and Penny right behind.

'_My thoughts exactly,'_ Maureen thought as all eyes turned on the trio.

"Teenagers entering the area! Ha, ha, ha!" The robot exclaimed.

"Will, I thought you were going to adjust the robot's adolescent sense of humor?" John asked.

"Hey, I like his sense of humor," Don stated.

"I'm working on it, Dad, but I've made other modifications. Now the robot can help find the fuel deposits when Don is ready to go out and search again," Will announced.

"I'm ready." Don stated.

John's eyebrows shot up and he looked at Judy, who nodded her head and said, "He's ready."

"Well, then," Maureen said. "I've pinpointed the best place for you to explore. There's a series of caves just north of where you encountered the snakes. There are several deposits of the core materials, but I don't know how accessible they are. You'll need to explore each one before you can determine the best target."

John added, "And I don't want you going alone, Don."

"The robot will be with me."

"The robot might not be able to navigate the caves. I'm sending Dr. Smith with you again."

"Oh, no, he's more trouble than he's worth."

"I'm going too. You'll need someone to keep the peace."

"Communing with nature… oh, joy." Dr. Smith dryly commented.

"Can I go too, Dad?" Will asked.

"Why not. It'll be a bonding experience for us males," John replied.

* * *

Judy was packing a medical kit for the expedition when her mother wandered into the medical lab to see how she was doing. "Judy, was it my imagination this morning, or have you decided on Don over Dr. Smith?"

"I'm not sure I've exactly 'decided.' I just can't fight my physical attraction to Don anymore. Are you okay with that, Mom?"

"You're an adult, Judy. You don't need my approval, but it sounds like you're just switching your focus."

Judy sighed. "If I could combine Don's body with Zachary's brain, I'd have the perfect man."

Maureen put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "Trust me, Judy. There is no such thing as the 'perfect man.' Besides, your thinking is rather… narrow. Isn't it?"

"Narrow? Mom, what do you mean? Intellectual compatibility has always been important to me."

"Don't you think you're missing something?"

"You mean that Don may be more intelligent that I give him credit for?"

"That's not where I was going, but, now that you mention it, you're father says that he is formidable at chess."

"I saw that when they played last night. I suppose that he is intelligent, just in a different way than Zachary. And he _has_ left me alone to figure things out for myself. I mean, last night, I couldn't believe that he didn't take me up on my offer."

"You're offer?"

"Well, I, um… sort of invited him… to…"

Maureen laughed and held up her hand to stop her. "Not even your father would have done that when he was Don's age."

Judy cringed, "Mom, I think that's more than I need to know about you and Dad."

Maureen folded her arms. "By 'missing something' I meant what about 'heart'?"

"Heart?"

"Yes, your heart, as well as theirs. You've said that your mind lies with Dr. Smith and your body with Don, but what about your heart?"

"That's exactly what I'm trying to figure out."

"What about their hearts? Which man is holding onto his heart and which one is sharing his with you?"

"I suppose the answer is obvious." Don wore his heart on his sleeve. She realized that Dr. Smith was more than willing to share his knowledge, but held on tightly to his heart, if he even had one.

Maureen held onto her tongue. She knew that her daughter had to figure this one out on her own.

Judy did one last check of the medical bag, being sure to include the anti-venom her mother had developed. "It's ready."

She closed the bag up and hesitated before turning to leave the med bay. "Mom, before we go, there is one more thing I'd like to ask you. How do you know when you've reached a level of love like you and Dad have?"

Maureen sighed. "Level of love? I don't know, Judy. I never thought of love as having 'levels'."

"Maybe I'm talking about different kinds of love. I mean, I admire Zachary's mind, but I'm physically attracted to Don. I hate his innuendoes, but I love his honesty. I always know where I stand with him and I feel safe and secure and protected when he's around."

"Sounds like you trust him."

"Well, at least I trust him to take care of us, but is that the same thing as love?"

"You have to decide on your own definition of love, Judy. Much of it is chemical at first, but the chemistry wears off and then you're left with the person. You have to know that person well enough to decide if he's someone you can spend the rest of your life with."

"What about you and Dad?"

"It started out as chemistry… pure physical chemistry. We enjoyed each others' company and respected each others' distinct talents. We shared the same values and got married because we wanted to raise a family, which took commitment, but even that wasn't enough."

"It wasn't?"

"Maybe your idea of 'levels of love' does fit in here. I think I realized the depth of my love for your father when I had to make a decision that took more courage than I believed I had."

"Are you talking about coming on this mission?"

Maureen nodded. "This is your father's dream, not mine, but if I hadn't agreed to come…" She shook her head and paused a moment to gather her thoughts. "This mission has made me realize the true depth of my love for your father. If we had stayed on Earth, I might never have realized it. It would have been a lot easier to just walk away. I could never do that now, even if I had the opportunity. So, what about you and your suitors?"

"I guess I can't pursue them both at the same time, can I."

"Not a good idea in our small world."

"I suppose I have to talk to Dr. Smith."

"That's up to you."

"I was going to wait until they came back."

"The longer you wait, the harder it's going to be."

"I know, but I'm not looking forward to it."

* * *

Carrying a stack of CD's in her hands, Judy was about to knock on Dr. Smith's door when it slid open.

"Judith! You startled me!" Smith stated.

"I'm sorry, I was just about to knock, but…"

"No matter. Come in."

She stood her ground. "I wanted to give these back to you, Dr. Smith," she quietly stated.

"Dr. Smith… hm… I sense a change in your affections, Judith, dearest," he replied.

"I… I never wanted to hurt your feelings, Zachary, but I, I've been thinking about our relationship."

"Judith, please stop. I know you're physically attracted to the major. Perhaps you need to explore that side of yourself before you make any definitive pronouncement. Give it more time."

"More time isn't the answer."

He placed his finger on her lips. "Hush. Keep the CD's. Listen to them. There's no reason to stop your musical education. With Major 'Dumbo' gone, you'll need something to keep yourself entertained."

"Zachary…"

"A kiss for luck?" he asked and gave her a peck on the cheek. He turned and walked down the hall.

Watching from the end of the passageway was Don. He barely moved aside as Dr. Smith sidled past and traded glares with him. Judy took one step down the hall, as did Don, and within seconds, they were face to face. She curled her arms around his neck. He pulled her closer and leaned his head down. She met his lips softly, gently. His lips were firm and warm. She buried her head against him.

"Please be careful," she begged.

"For you? Always."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 12**

**A Better Man**

The trip out to the caves was easier this time around, as John had decided that the group would travel on the Blawp-mobile, even though it was still somewhat temperamental. Don complained that even Smith would have made better time on foot. John was correct in assuming that the Robot wouldn't be able to navigate very far into the caves, but its scanning pinpointed the richest sources of the fuel. The rest of the work would have to be done by human hands. They decided to work in teams of two with John and Don entering the first cave, while Will and Smith waited outside the cave for their orders.

"I don't expect to find much in this one, Don. The deposits are small, but I still thought we should investigate it because the others might be too difficult to mine," John stated.

"That's fine with me, professor. Just look out for those snake things. They are nasty."

"Speaking of snakes, you and Smith haven't been arguing today. Did you call a truce?"

Don chuckled, "No. Actually, I'm not sure what's going on with him. I guess he's trying to be on his best behavior since Judy made it clear that she needs her space."

"Well, I wouldn't turn my back on him yet if I were you."

* * *

Will was tinkering with the Robot as Dr. Smith lounged on the platform of the Blawp-mobile while they waited for John and Don to return.

"William, there is no reason for us to be here. This is an absolute waste of my time," Dr. Smith complained.

"You're here in case we get hurt and I'm here to help with the Robot and the Blawp-mobile," Will replied.

A voice was heard coming up behind them, "Quit complainin', Smith, or next time you go in with me," taunted Don.

"Any luck, Dad?" Will asked.

"Not in this one, son. We'll try one more while you and Dr. Smith set-up the tents," John replied.

"Tents? Why not sleep in a cave as we did before?" Dr. Smith asked.

"Smith likes sleepin' with his reptilian relatives," Don remarked.

"A shame none of your simian relatives are here to keep you company, Major," Smith retorted.

"Let's keep the insults to a minimum, shall we gentlemen?" John reprimanded.

* * *

The second cave held a decent amount of the needed core material, and John hoped it could be easily mined. As they trekked into the cave, John continued the conversation they had started earlier.

"Don, is it true that Judy finally succumbed to your masculine charms, and you turned her down?" John asked.

"Uh, not exactly turned her down. Let's just say I put her off until she really is ready."

"You're a better man than I would have been."

"I doubt that, sir."

"I guess this is when I'm supposed to ask you the fatherly question. What, exactly, are your intentions towards my daughter, Major?"

Don stopped. He hadn't expected this question and wasn't totally prepared to answer, so he blurted out the first thought that came to mind. "I love to hear her laugh. She doesn't laugh enough. I guess… I just want to make her happy and protect her… hopefully for the rest of our lives."

John held his hand out and stated. "I welcome you to the family, Major."

Don shook his hand firmly, but added, "We haven't, uh, exactly reached that point yet."

"Maybe, but I think you're pretty close. As far as I'm concerned, you've been part of the family for some time now anyway."

"That means a lot to me, Professor."

"You and Judy getting together will just make it official."

Don blushed, "But, if we don't…"

John interrupted him, "Major, just smile and say 'thank you'."

Don grinned, "Thank you."

"Now, as far as this cave is concerned, it's too narrow for mining. Let's head back out."

As they retraced their steps, John tripped on a rock and fell. He stretched his hand out to catch himself, but it landed in a nest of the snake animals that Don's face had encountered. "Damn!" he exclaimed as he pulled his hand away.

Immediately at his side, Don knew that the poison would affect him quickly. He ripped off a piece of his t-shirt and tied it tightly around John's forearm. After comming Will, Don picked John up in a fireman's carry and pressed on until he saw the light at the cave's opening.

* * *

Setting up the tents was more difficult than it should have been, but Will and the Robot were able to complete the task despite Dr. Smith's lack of assistance. Just as he had finished, Will was horrified to hear Don's anxious voice on the transponder. "Will, your father was stung by one of those snakes. I'll be out with him in five minutes. Tell Smith to be ready!"

"All right, Don. Dr. Smith! Dr. Smith! We need you!" Will shouted.

"What now, William, I told you that I know nothing of setting up tents," Smith replied.

"My Dad was stung by a snake. Don said to be ready for him."

Moments later, Don exited the cave. "Smith!" he shouted, "Get the anti-venom!"

Dr. Smith earned his keep as he tended to John's snake stings. They all passed a restless night as John fought the effects of the poison. By morning, however, his symptoms, other than fatigue, had subsided and all he needed was rest.

"Well, Smith, looks like it's you and me in the caves today," Don stated.

"A recipe for disaster, I'm sure," Smith replied.

"Let's go, Smith. Will, take care of your father." Don took two more steps and turned back, "Oh, and, uh, if you don't hear from me in two hours, send in the cavalry."

Each man had his own light, but Smith stayed close to Don, as they tread in silence. The cave was strewn with loose rocks and boulders that they had to scale. The walls were closing in as they went deeper into the cave, narrowing to the point where they had to turn sideways to get through, but the path opened into a huge cavern that Don realized was the mother load the Robot had detected. It took them only thirty minutes to traverse the distance, but to Smith it seemed more like hours.

"Major, it's dark, dank and smells. How much longer must we search in this cave?" Smith asked.

"Well, Smith, if it's any consolation, I think this is the one. There are plenty of deposits in here, and it won't be too difficult to mine them. Let's go out and get the equipment."

Smith wasn't as fearful exiting the caves as he had been entering and decided to tread on dangerous ground. "Major, I must ask you a question."

"Must you?"

"What have you done to captivate our fair maiden, Judith?"

"Just being myself, Smitty."

"You don't expect it to last, do you?"

"I think you better mind your own business, Smith."

"Until Judith can look me in the eye and tell me herself, this _is_ my business. After all, we are both competing for scarce resources. I believe dear Penny would be more to your liking."

Don stopped, turned and jabbed at his chest. "You need to shut your mouth… now."

"Or what, Major, you'll hit me like a jealous adolescent?"

"No." Don stared him down. "I'll take your light and leave you in this dank, dark, smelly cave… alone."

Smith gave him an oily smile. "After you, Major."

They ate a quick lunch as Don described the cave to John.

"It's not perfect, but the cavern is large enough for us to set-up our equipment. Getting in and out is the problem, but it's passable. If we can blast out some of the boulders to make a fairly level path, the robot can help, but there's a narrow opening at the cavern that he would never fit through. I don't think we can do much about that." Don took a bite of his bar.

John didn't want to upset the ecology of the planet any more than necessary. "We don't know enough about the geology of this planet, so I'd rather not do any blasting."

"Look, Smith and I can set-up the mining equipment, and I'll come back and check on it tomorrow. Once we have enough fuel, we can all line up, kind of like a bucket brigade, and carry the stuff out."

"That should work. Good thinking, Don."

"Did I hear you say that we were going back in, Major?" Smith dreaded his response.

"You heard right, Smith. Not only that, but you get to carry some really heavy equipment."

"Is Judith aware of your sadistic nature?"

Don glared at him as a warning to watch his tongue.

John looked at them. "Now, I don't need to tell Maureen that you two were fighting again, do I?"

"We'll be good, won't we, Smitty?" Don asked.

"Of course. We wouldn't want to upset the dear woman," Smith replied.

The equipment was unloaded from the Blawp-mobile and the Robot carried it as far into the cave as possible. It then stood guard, with Will and John waiting outside for Smith and West to complete the task. They had to work as a team to make the job go as painlessly as possible. Every time they came to a large boulder, Don would climb over and Smith would hand the supplies over to him, and then scale the boulder himself. They finally reached the narrow opening. Don stood inside as Smith handed the equipment to him piece by piece. Once inside the cavern, the set-up went rather quickly.

They were just about done when the transponder beeped and Will announced that the Robot had detected several life forms converging on their area. Upon hearing this, Smith took no time in retreating to the crevice.

"Smith, get back here. I can't finish this without you." Don commanded.

"I'm not about to meet any alien life forms, Major. I suggest you follow me immediately."

"Smith…"

Before Don finished his sentence a large creature approached him. He drew his weapon and fired, but before he got off another shot, a second creature attacked him from the side and twisted his arm painfully behind his back, causing him to drop his pistol. The animal Don injured roared in pain, picked-up the last post of the drilling equipment and rammed it into Don's gut. The force shoved him against the cave wall, knocking the wind out of him.

Smith never made it through the crevice as a third creature grabbed his leg and pulled him violently back into the cavern. He felt as if his foot had been twisted off his leg. Both he and Don lay unmoving on the ground despite the pain they were in, and they hoped that the creatures would leave them for dead. After exchanging a series of growls, the injured animal nodded to the others, each of whom hurled one of the men over their shoulders. This forced both men to yelp in pain, but there was nothing they could do to stop their attackers.

* * *

"Don! Come in, Don."

No response.

"Smith! Come in, Dr. Smith!"

No response.

"Dad? You don't think that they, like, killed each other, do you?" Will asked.

"With those two? Anything is possible." John saw his son's horrified face and amended, "No, Will, I don't think they killed each other. Get the Robot to scan the area again. Maybe it can pinpoint where they are. In the meantime, I'll get ready to go into the cave."

* * *

The creatures traveled down a twisted path that led to what could be called an underground hamlet. There was a central cavern that bustled with activity, and the two men were dropped unceremoniously in what appeared to be a town square.

Don gasped for air as he tried to shove the pain aside. Smith, despite the pain in his leg, looked over his companion and helped him struggle to a seated position.

"Broken rib?" he asked.

"Yeah… Dis… dislocated shoulder too… Broken leg?" Don rasped.

"Fibula."

Smith maneuvered himself so that he and Don were sitting up back to back. He could feel Don's breathing pattern against his back and was relatively sure that, though his rib was broken, it hadn't punctured the lung. He was thankful because he understood that he would not be able to escape this nightmare without his help.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 13**

**Never Ever Land**

The Blawp-mobile pulled up to the Jupiter, and Maureen was waiting at the base of the ramp to greet her husband and son. Penny and the Blawp bounded out soon after, but Judy stayed back at the opening to the ship, hugging herself, wondering how it happened that the only two men to ever vie for her company were somewhere, together, probably at each other's throats.

John's fatigue was evident as he slowly made his way towards Judy.

"Dad? You look awful," she stated.

"I'm fine. The anti-venom worked," John replied.

"Let me check you out."

"I just need to rest." He reached out and took her in a hug.

As the family reentered the ship, John kept his arm around his daughter.

"What happened to them, Dad?" she asked.

"I wish I knew, Judy." He sat down in the co-pilot's chair in exhaustion. "They were setting up the drill in a cavern."

"The Robot detected life forces coming near them, and I called them to let them know." Will added.

"Did they respond?" Judy asked.

"Dr. Smith did, but they never came out."

John held up Don's pistol. "I found this on the ground." He next produced a rock with a drop of red on top of it and handed it to Judy. "Run this down to the lab."

Judy's heart dropped to her stomach, but she kept her physician's composure as she took the rock from her father. She had seen enough dried blood to recognize the stain on the stone. The only question was whose blood was it? Don's? Dr. Smith's? Or the creature's?

* * *

Curious about their new captives, the inhabitants of the hamlet began to surround them. Don, even through his haze of pain, sensed that this was not simply a pack of animals. They came in groups of two and three, some holding smaller versions of themselves. He caught the eye of a younger creature. It turned shyly away, and then took another quick look and seemed to smile when Don caught its eye again and winked at it. His fear subsided as he realized that this was a tribe of sentient beings who seemed to value their young. That gave him some hope.

Smith observed the growing crowd with the keen eye of a physician. The creatures' faces resembled polar bears, of all things, but they had a musculature that was well developed with no traces of fat. Their bipedal bodies were covered in an opaque, filmy hair-like substance that flowed about their yellow bodies when they moved. There was an obvious difference between the males and females, with the females having two rows of small mammary glands down their chest and males having none. They stood a head taller than he and the major, and he noted that they did not seem overtly aggressive, a surprise to him given their violent introduction in the cavern.

The creatures that had carried Smith and Don to the hamlet approached them with what appeared to be an older female. They pointed to Don and growled something to her. She reached down, grasped his dislocated arm, and pulled him to stand. Don couldn't stop the scream of pain that escaped him. The female moved to within an inch of him. Her coal black eyes mesmerized him and he felt as if he were floating. He traveled into those black depths and all thoughts were banished from his mind until he receded into nothingness and his body hit the floor.

Dr. Smith cowered as Don collapsed beside him, fearing that he would be next. The female ignored him, however, as she spoke to her two companions again. The males grabbed Don and Smith by their collars, dragged them across the stone floor and threw them into a small cavern. They positioned a large rock that resembled a thick slice of Swiss cheese across the opening. None of the holes in the 'door' was large enough for a body to fit through. Smith wondered why openings had been carved into the rock, but he soon found out as each opening held a face that stared at them. The faces changed, but the expressions did not. Smith felt as if he were an animal in a zoo on display for the natives to ogle. He turned his back to them as the body beside him groaned.

Don was coming out of his stupor. He shook his head to clear it. "What happened?"

"You were in Never Never Land as we were dragged across the cold, hard ground, Major."

"I think she was the, ah…" He moaned as he struggled to sit so he could breathe more easily, "Partner of the creature I shot. How's the leg?"

"Painful."

"Can you fix my shoulder?"

Smith stared at him. He couldn't believe West asked him that question.

"Do it."

Smith felt Don's shoulder, gently at first. He took his wrist in one hand, placed his other on the shoulder and braced himself as best he could with his good leg. "Ready?"

Don nodded.

With a quick push and pull, Smith snapped the shoulder back into place. One scream and the pain was suddenly gone. Don's mobility wasn't totally back, but he reveled in the relief.

"Thanks." He turned his attention to Smith's leg. "Want me to splint it?"

"With what?"

Don removed his empty holster. "This. Fibula?"

Smith nodded.

After feeling for the location of the break, Don placed the holster against Smith's shin bone and wrapped the ends around until he could belt them.

"I almost hate to say this, Major… that does work. Where did you learn your medical skills?"

"I was the designated medic at the academy parties. Got a lotta field experience."

"Why am I not surprised?"

They both had forgotten about the ever changing faces in the doorway, but as each settled against an opposite wall, their attention was drawn back to the 'holes.'

"Like a monkey in a zoo," Smith noted.

"Yeah, well, I'd love a banana about now."

"Must you mention food?"

Don reached into his pocket and pulled out a nutrition bar. He broke it and tossed half to Smith.

"Here. Chef's special."

Smith eagerly caught it and noticed a wound on Don's hand as he released his hold on the food. "What happened to your hand?"

"When they carried us away from the drilling site, I stabbed my good hand on my wings. I thought that John might come to look for us, so I left a trail for him."

"Of blood?"

Don nodded.

"My, my. You can be clever, for a Neanderthal."

"Not as dumb as I look, am I?"

"Don't let it get to your head, Major."

* * *

'_It's his.' _Judy triple checked the blood type on the rock and there was no mistake. _'Why were you bleeding, and what happened to you and Zachary?'_ she mused.

Maureen and John entered the med lab. "Well?" John asked.

"It's Don's. How much blood was there, Dad?"

"It was a trail of drops."

Maureen chimed in, "Maybe he did it on purpose? Left a trail for us to follow."

"That's possible. I'll go back in the morning," John stated.

Judy quickly added, "And I'm going with you."

* * *

The hamlet had been lit by torches in the walls that slowly burned out and were not re-lit. Smith assumed that it was the night cycle. He lay down as comfortably as he could and used his arm as a pillow. West never moved from the wall and Smith wondered what captured soldiers thought about when there was no recourse for escape.

"Trying to remember your serial number, Major?"

"I'm not biting, Smith. Go to sleep"

"I abhor sleeping on the ground."

An insult came to Don's lips, but he was in no mood to banter. The encounter with the female was disturbing. He had no idea how he knew that she was linked with the creature he injured. He felt as if she was sizing him up, studying her enemy. Somehow, he also knew that she was not moved by the fact that he acted in self-defense.

"Major?"

"What do you want now?"

"What did that female do to you?"

"I wish I knew. It was like she was trying to see inside my head… and I wanted her there."

"Cheating on Judith already?"

"Can it, Smith!"

Irritating the major just seemed to come naturally to Smith, but if he wanted more information, he knew that he would have to change his tactics. "I'm sorry. I sometimes can't help myself. What did you mean 'you wanted her there'?"

"Somehow, I knew that she was accusing me of hurting her partner. I wanted her to know that I was justified in shooting him. That I was defending myself. My last thoughts were that it didn't matter to her. Do you think it was mental telepathy?"

"Did you hear her talking inside your head?"

"No, it was just… a sensation… a feeling. There were no words, no thoughts; it was more like not thinking at all, just feeling. And, please, no cracks about that being my usual state."

"I am too exhausted to carry on clever repartee at this point. Any ideas on how we can escape?"

"Just keep your eyes open. I'm better at improvising than planning."

"By the way, it's going to be a long night. You might want to put your right hand in your jacket Napoleon style to keep your arm stable."

"Thanks for the tip."

Don leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes. If he was going to get any sleep, he knew he would have to put the experience with the female out of his head, so he let his mind drift to the woman who often dominated his thoughts. He did indeed regret his decision not to take Judy up on her offer the other night and wondered if he would ever get the chance again. No, he wouldn't dwell on that possibility. Instead he envisioned what he would have done to her, each kiss, each stroke, each caress. A smile crossed his lips. Sleep would have to wait.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 14**

**Naïve Wanderings**

As they followed the path of dried blood through the caves, John found his concern for Judy rising with each step. A distant light pinpointed the end of their trek and they extinguished their flashlights as they crept up to the opening. John was amazed at the bustle of activity in the torch lit cavern. He felt as if they had stumbled upon an animated scene from the "It's a Small World" exhibit at Disney World.

"Can you believe this?" he whispered to Judy.

"It's such a peaceful scene. I was expecting something different." Judy was entranced.

"The larger ones are taking care of the smaller ones. I would almost call them families."

"Maybe they _are_ families."

"So they value life to some extent. I believe they're sentient beings, Judy."

"I'm going in."

John held her back. "No! We need to find out more about them. They might not be as peaceful to outsiders as they are with their own kind."

"Dad, we'll never find out enough from here. We need to go in and find Don and Zachary."

"Getting ourselves caught isn't going to help them."

"But we don't know they're prisoners."

He stared at his daughter. She couldn't be that naïve, could she? "Judy, Don left a trail of blood for us to follow. I think that's enough evidence that they were taken against their will."

"You don't know that. Don may have gotten hurt accidentally and the trail was incidental to him and Zachary being taken to get medical help."

"Come on, Judy, think about it. Would Don and Smith go off together voluntarily?"

She had to admit she couldn't think of a reason that Smith would go with Don unless he was forced to do so. She wholly disagreed with her father about staying out of sight until nightfall. The hamlet seemed so peaceful. She couldn't imagine that the creatures she saw bustling about and tending to their young would pose any danger. She couldn't wait any longer. She had to find out what happened to the two men. Her father retreated to com Maureen. Judy took this opportunity to follow her heart. She dropped her weapon and stepped into the cavern. The creatures stood back in fear as she stepped closer to them.

"You don't have to be afraid. I'm a friend." She stated in her calmest voice.

The creatures squealed at her appearance. They picked up the younger figures and ran to the caves that surrounded the cavern. Before long, two larger animals lumbered up to her. She had her hands raised in surrender and they took her to the slender opaque haired female with eyes of coal. The female leader spoke to the others in a series of growls, and then Judy was led to the very same cavern where Smith and Don were housed. Moving the rock door aside, they pushed her into the space. The leader stood in the doorway, waiting to see what would occur.

When Don saw Judy, he scrambled to a standing position and held a hand up to warn her away. Their eyes locked and he knew that she intended to go to him. Don pulled Smith up to his feet when Judy approached them.

"You're with Smith, Judy. You have to stay away from me."

"Don, what are you talking about?"

"Just do what I say, damn it!"

The leader confronted Judy and looked into her eyes. Just as had happened to Don, Judy felt as if she were being pulled into a black hole. She stared into those eyes until she lost consciousness and dropped to the ground. The leader then looked into Smith's eyes. Nothing seemed to happen. She stared pointedly at Don a moment, and left.

Smith turned to Don and murmured, "She knows."

Don shook his head. "Check her out, Doc," and helped Dr. Smith down beside Judy.

"Doc? Please, Major, we may have a truce, but…"

Don looked up at the door and saw the parade of faces once again staring through the holes. He placed himself between the door and Judy to block their view. "Is she okay?" he asked.

"She's fine."

Judy opened her eyes. "Dr. Smith? What happened?"

"You've been 'feelingized', my dear. The leader knows that you're in love with the Major, not me."

"In love?" she mumbled and then it was all clear to her. "I am… I am in love with him. I'm sorry, Zachary."

Dr. Smith gave her a sad smile. "I will survive." He sat back away from Judy and glanced at Don in sympathy. He agreed with the major that nothing good would come of the leader having this knowledge.

Overwhelmed by Judy's declaration, Don turned away and shoved his hands into his pockets. He had waited so long to hear those words, and now that it was done, he couldn't face her. He was her protector, but their love had put her in danger.

Judy stood and placed a gentle hand on his back. "She wants to hurt you, Don."

He tensed at her touch. "I know, and now that you're here…" He looked up at the ceiling and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Don." She pulled her hand away. "I came to rescue you, not make things worse."

He did an 'about face,' determined to tell her that she was wrong… that she was confusing love with lust, but the moment he looked into those big blue eyes, he melted. He pulled her to his chest and buried his head in her neck. Her lips found his and there was no denying it. Their fates were linked from this moment on… regardless of what the future held for them.

* * *

'_Damn it, Judy! What did you go and do?' _John thought as he returned to the entrance of the cavern after contacting Maureen, and found that she had disappeared. There was only one place she could have gone, and she wasn't even armed. Picking up the weapon she had laid on the ground, he fought the urge to charge in and drag her back out. Instead, he retreated to the drill site and contacted Maureen again.

Maureen knew immediately that something was wrong. "What happened, John?"

"Judy's become infected with Don's impulsive streak. She went into the cavern when I came out to call you last time. There's nothing I can do until there's less activity in there."

"I don't want you going in there alone. I'm coming in with you."

"No, Maureen, stay put. There's no time for that. These creatures might not even have a sleep cycle. And if they don't, we'll have to think of something else."

Maureen hesitated. As much as she hated leaving him there alone, there wasn't much she would be able to do to help him. "All right, John, but call me every hour. I won't be able to sleep anyway."

"I will. I love you, Mo."

"Love you, too."

John looked up at the ceiling. His eldest had never given them an ounce of trouble growing up. She was more than making up for it now. _'Just wait until I find you, young lady… You'll get a lecture you'll never forget.'_


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 15**

**The Hamlet's Tragedy**

A clanging sound interrupted Jud'sy and Don's kiss, and all three looked towards the door as the faces scurried away. Judy extricated herself from Don's embrace as he glanced at Dr. Smith and mumbled, "Sorry, Smith." Dr. Smith waved his apology away with a flick of his fingers.

Judy went to examine Dr. Smith's broken leg. "Fibula?" she asked.

He nodded.

"That's a pretty good splint. I wish I could give you something for the pain, but they took my emergency medical kit from me when I was brought to the leader."

Don backed up to the wall and slid down into a seated position, groaning with the movement. Judy returned to his side. "Broken rib?" she asked.

"Yeah. Dislocated shoulder too, but Dr. Smith popped it back into place."

Judy gingerly felt his rib area and his shoulder. Satisfied that his breathing was sound, she knew that nothing else could be done for him. She settled down next to him and they intertwined their hands.

"Don, I don't understand why that female wants to hurt you."

"I shot her partner when Smith and I were attacked. She wants retaliation, and I'm afraid you're going to be her target."

"But how did she know we're… connected?"

"She, as Smitty said, 'feelingized' you. By the way, Smith, why didn't you lose consciousness like Judy and I did?"

"She couldn't latch onto my feelings. And, please, no cracks about how 'not having feelings' is my usual state!"

Don chuckled and clutched his rib in pain.

"What do we do now?" Judy asked.

Don shook his head. Things did not look good. "I'm hoping that they let us out sometime soon. There's not a whole hell of a lot that we can do from here."

* * *

The bustle of activity in the town square suddenly ceased as a gong-like sound filled the air, and the inhabitants hurried to line up in front of a platform. John watched from the shadows as a Shakespearean tragedy unfolded before him. What appeared to be a female with coal black eyes sat on a dais off to the side of the stage. An injured male climbed onto the platform under his own power. He stood in front of the leader and uttered a series of growls, holding his arms out as if praising her. He walked slowly around the platform three times and stopped in front of her. She held a jewel encrusted stiletto in the palm of her hand. He approached her, bowed deeply and kneeled with his head held high and looked directly into her eyes. As he started to slide to the ground, the leader plunged the stiletto into his chest. He was gently laid on a pallet by two of the queen's guards. The mourners emitted one low keening sound, and the procession began.

After the natives left the area, John entered the cavern and hid beneath the dais. He had no plan, no idea of what he was going to do. He knew, however, that action would need to be taken soon.

* * *

A long, low wailing filled the air followed by a rhythmic banging, and Don and Judy made their way to the holes to see what was going on. A procession was making its way through the village at an excruciatingly slow pace. The leader was in the front and four males followed, carrying her partner on a pallet.

"He's dead?" Don couldn't believe it. "Judy, I didn't kill him. I shot him in the shoulder. He walked back to the hamlet, for Chrissakes."

Smith made his way over to the doorway. "It indeed is the creature you shot, Major."

"What the hell happened, Zach?"

This time Dr. Smith didn't correct him. "Your guess is as good as mine."

The procession finally stopped in front of the captives. The doorway was pushed aside and the guards roughly dragged them out of the cell. Smith, unable to support his weight, fell to the ground. Don shrugged his guard aside and helped Smith up, supporting his bad leg. Judy did the same and stood on the other side of Smith. She hoped that this show of unity and compassion would impress the leader. The procession began its trek back to the platform, and the Jupiter's crewmates were directed to follow behind the pallet.

Don looked around for any opportunity to escape, but found nothing to inspire him. With Smith's broken leg and no weapons, they were at too great of a disadvantage. Without Smith, he and Judy might have had a chance, but there was no way that Don was going to leave him. He would have to bide his time and wait for a better opportunity.

Once at the platform, they were instructed to stay behind as the pallet was carried off through one of the many trails that lead away from the cavern. The leader ascended the stage and settled onto her dais. She waved her hand and one guard each took hold of Smith and Judy, while the two others grabbed Don by the arms. This time there was no shrugging them off. The guards brought Judy and Don up the ramp to stand in front of the leader.

Don was forced to kneel in front of her and she locked her eyes with his. This time he fought against her intrusion by squeezing his eyes shut and turning his head away. One of the guards grasped his hair and pulled his head back while the other forced his eyelids up. He started reciting his serial number repeatedly, hoping to block any feelings from coming to the surface.

Although he was well hidden, John still had a partial view of the events by looking through a crack in the skirt around the dais. He quickly brushed his hand across Don's leg to alert him to his presence and hoped that his movement wasn't noticed by any of the guards. Don felt it, but was roughly pulled away from the leader when she ceased her probing.

The leader turned her attention to Judy and stood, producing the jewel encrusted stiletto in the palm of her hand. She held it vertically in front of Judy's face and then moved in front of Don. The guard forced his hand to the knife and wrapped his fingers around the handle. Don knew that this could be his best chance for action. He threw his weight backwards against the guards and kicked his feet towards the leader, sending her sprawling across the stage. His hand was sliced as the knife slid across his palm.

There was an audible gasp from the natives and John took that opportunity to roll out from his hiding place, weapon in hand. He aimed it directly at the leader, but their assumption that the natives had no weapons was wrong. The guard holding Judy produced a stiletto of his own and held it at her chest, daring John to make a move. They were at an impasse. It was Dr. Smith who broke the stalemate.

"Keep your weapon trained on the leader and back up slowly and precisely, Professor. Never take your eye off the leader and be prepared to fire, regardless of what might happen. My goal is for you to leave the cavern safely so that you may return to fight another day." Dr Smith continued to calmly direct the Professor.

"John," Don called. "Take Smith and Judy with you."

"No," Judy replied, "I won't leave you, even if I can get away."

"Judy, you ah…" Don groaned as one of his guards twisted his arm. Once again it was out of its socket.

"I won't leave either one of you," John promised.

He reached out a hand to his daughter as he inched by her, but her guard responded by pushing the tip of the stiletto against her chest. John immediately released his gestural request and made the painful decision that he had little choice but to save himself and possibly Smith.

Addressing the leader, John stated, "You win for today, but I'll be back."

"You are very near the top edge of the platform, Professor. Keep coming slowly."

When he was next to Smith, John tossed a medical kit onto the stage near Judy, but it was kicked aside by her guard and landed in the crowd. Smith's guard left him to retrieve it. John reached out to support Smith and they continued to slowly back out of the cavern. The guard continued to look for the kit, but it was picked up by a small native and passed around from creature to creature. The guard never found it. Once John and Smith reached the entrance, the leader barked an order and the guards moved a huge stone across the entrance. Judy and Don were once again prisoners with little hope of escape.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 16**

**Hard Rock Love**

Dr. Smith winced in pain with each step through the cave. He and John finally reached the drill site and Smith gingerly eased himself to the floor. John commed Maureen to bring the Blawp-mobile to the cave's entrance, but she was already there.

"Ready, Smith?"

"No, but I don't suppose that matters."

"I know you're in pain, but relief is waiting for you."

"It's onward, then."

* * *

Maureen met them at the entrance and attended to Smith as John collapsed with exhaustion. Both men fell asleep as they traveled back to the Jupiter. After casting Dr. Smith's broken leg, the family listened in rapt attention as he finished the story of their encounter with the cave people.

"The major was acting in self-defense, but the leader either did not care or did not believe it, and she wants him to pay by feeling the same despair himself," Smith finished.

"But, Don didn't kill him. The leader killed him herself. I saw it with my own eyes," John stated. He paced the room as he continued. "I don't understand. We have a culture that seems to exist in family type units and appears to value its young. The society does not carry weapons, except for the leader and her guards. The death of the leader's consort seemed to be some kind of ceremony, and I'd lay money that he knew what was going to happen to him."

"Maybe the leader must have a perfect mate and the injury sealed his fate, which is part of their culture," Maureen suggested.

"But he had healed."

"Was there a scar?" Maureen asked.

"The hair from his shoulder was gone, but that was all that I could see."

"I believe that Mrs. Robinson is correct," Smith replied. "Perhaps they have no medical skills or knowledge, and, therefore, cannot treat injuries. Now that I think about it, all of the specimens I saw had perfect bodies. That could be why they were so protective and nurturing with their young."

"So, if we return as a family unit and with medical supplies, maybe we have a chance of saving Don and Judy," Maureen suggested.

"The leader wants retaliation for the major's actions. I'm afraid that Judy and the major may be doomed. It will take more than a family showing of good will to save them," Smith stated.

"I think he's right, Maureen," John added. "I think we'll have to go in with a more comprehensive plan. They also blocked the entrance. Either we have to blast our way past it or find another route, but, either way, it'll take time."

"Then Don and Judy are still in a lot of danger. What are we going to do?" Penny asked.

"We'll think of something, Penny, we always do," Will offered.

"I don't know… without Don and Judy…" she lamented.

Dr. Smith reached out and ruffled Will's hair. "Will is correct, Penny, precious. And now you have me. I have quite a diabolical mind, you know. Give me time."

"Well, there's nothing we can do tonight. Let's all get some sleep and see what we can come up with in the morning." Maureen suggested.

"Will Judy and Don be okay?" Will inquired.

Dr. Smith comforted them all with these words. "It was almost time for the sleep cycle. I'm sure they'll be safe for tonight."

He shooed them all away so that he could rest, but wondered if they truly believed his words. He wouldn't blame them if they didn't, however, as he had been anything but truthful to the family in the past. There was, however, nothing he could do about that. He closed his eyes and wondered when he had 'turned over a new leaf' so to speak. He even had warm feelings for the major, when he should be, if anything, angry towards him. He presumed that true love had taken its course and had affected even him. _'How droll,' _he thought and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

After they left Dr. Smith to recuperate in the medical bay, John and Maureen gave their youngest children a hug and sent them to their rooms and then retired to their own cabin.

"Do you really think Judy will be alright?" Will asked.

Penny gave her brother a hug. "She has Don with her, and he would never let anything happen to her."

"That's true. Good night, Penny."

Penny closed the door to her own quarters and started her video diary. "The space captive's world is crumbling. Her beloved sister is a prisoner, along with the man who has been the object of her affections. To make matters worse, her beloved sister has finally accepted that the dashing young pilot, who has been the family's knight in shining armor, is the love of her life." Penny sighed. She knew that it had been inevitable. "The space captive will not stand in the way of true love and will release her claim on the handsome knight. She will do what has to be done to save them both."

* * *

Maureen and John were nestled in each others arms and could not stop thinking about their eldest child.

"John, you were with them. Was Smith sincere? After everything he's done, I can't believe he's accepted that Judy and Don are together."

"I think he has, Mo. He and Don bonded or something. Maybe he decided that he couldn't fight their feelings anymore."

"I hope you're right." Maureen fought the tears that were forming in her eyes. "They have to be all right. They finally found each other."

"Something tells me that they'll take advantage of every moment they have together, and we should too." He kissed her tenderly on the lips and they let the world drift away.

* * *

Immediately after the professor backed out of the cave, the guards released their holds on the prisoners and Judy ran to Don. All eyes were still on them as she felt his shoulder and asked, "Ready?"

He nodded. Judy braced herself and wrenched his arm back into place. Once again incredible pain led to instant relief. She then examined his hand and tore off a piece of her tee shirt, wrapping it around his palm to stem the bleeding. There was an audible "Ah!" from the crowd as Don stood and moved the arm. It ached, but his range of motion wasn't any worse than earlier.

Don protectively placed his left arm around Judy and pulled her close. His philosophy had always been 'Never say die,' but with no options for escape, he realized that their situation had become desperate. If he had been alone, he would have been able to keep his optimism until the end. With Judy by his side, however, he realized that his options were limited. He would give his life for her, but that wouldn't save her. His hope dwindled as they were led back to their prison cell and the door once again was slammed in place. For the first time in his life, he worried that whatever he did wouldn't matter in the end.

Don sat with his back against the wall, and he didn't bother to block the view of the sea of faces that again passed by their door. He put his head back and closed his eyes while Judy leaned against him and observed. Something seemed different to her, but she wasn't sure what it was.

"Don?"

"Hm?"

"Take a look at the natives."

He opened his eyes and stared. "There's something different about them."

"That's what I thought."

"They seem to be less passive or something."

As they were talking, a younger face appeared in one of the lower holes. It stared intently at Don as a package was pushed through the hole below it. Don recognized the face as the one he had winked at his first few minutes in the cavern. Don approached the door and picked up the package. He swore that the young face winked at him before it moved on and another took its place. The torches started to fade for the night cycle and the natives retreated to their caves.

Don opened the package. It was the medical kit John had thrown at Judy. He handed it to her and she opened it eagerly. There were several food rations, which they desperately needed, and a bottle of water that they shared. After their quick meal, Judy undressed Don's hand and applied a cleansing and healing salve to it. She wrapped it in clean bandages and brought it to her lips.

He embraced her, and hungrily covered her lips with his own. With Smith gone, he was no longer self-conscious about showing his love and she responded just as passionately. Judy practically climbed into his lap as she pressed her body against his chest. He winced as she put her weight against his rib and she pulled back.

She placed her forehead against his and murmured, "I love you, Don. I'm sorry it took so long for me to realize it."

"I'm just glad you finally did 'cause I've loved you for a long time." He chuckled. "Even your father knew before you did."

She pulled her head back, "My father?"

He grinned at her incredulous look. That was the last they saw of each other as the torches died out to nothing. She settled more comfortably against him and her body ached to be even closer to him.

"Don, make love to me? "

"What?"

"I want to make love to you."

"Here? On the ground?"

"Yes."

"Judy, I didn't… I wanted our first time to be more…"

"If we don't do it now, there might never be a first time.

Don pondered that thought. She was right, but he had wanted to romance her and make their first time a magical experience.

"Don?"

"I… I don't know… I mean, I love you, but…"

"But?"

"I don't have any protection with me. You might get pregnant."

"I'll take that chance."

"Are you sure?"

"Just shut up and kiss me."

He ran his fingers through her hair as she caressed his face with her fingertips. She thought she saw a flash of electricity just before their lips touched and their tongues explored each other's mouths. Don held her face in his hand as they caught their breath. "Wait just one minute." He took off his jacket and laid it on the hard rock ground. He eased her back onto the leather and let his hands roam under her shirt and around her waist. He wanted to love every inch of her body with every bit of his own. By the time the torches were relit, that's exactly what they had done.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 17**

**The Reprieve**

The Robinsons spent the morning trying to devise a plan that would not require them to blast through the rock covering the entrance to the hamlet, all to no avail.

Penny didn't understand all the talk about plans. "We blast our way in, weapons drawn and get them out."

"And who might get killed in the process?" her mother asked. "I say we sneak in at night to rescue them."

"We still have to get through the doorway. We'll never be able to get in quietly," Penny argued.

"We're not going to blast through and that's final. I don't want any chance of hurting innocent natives who might be standing near." John was adamant about finding another way.

"What about cutting through the rock with the laser pistols?" Maureen asked.

"Lasers will take too much time," Will argued.

"I have an alternate suggestion," Smith offered. "An implosion rather than an explosion."

"How would we do that?"

"Cut laser seams throughout the rock from the inside and place low level explosives around the perimeter of the rock. The explosion will be on our side of the opening and the laser seams, weakened, will crumble."

"Brilliant, Dr. Smith." John was finally satisfied with the plan.

They planned on entering the cave together, as a family, without weapons drawn. They hoped that they would be allowed to plead a case for Don and free both him and Judy from the wrath of the leader. He prayed that they wouldn't be too late.

* * *

As the torches were relit, Don awoke and felt something tickle his face. He pushed it aside and opened his eyes to see a mass of blond hair trying to burrow further into his neck. Memories of the previous night filled his body like a glass of warm brandy. Judy snuggled closer to Don and let her mind wander. She never remembered feeling so calm and at peace. She finally forced her eyes open and met her lover's penetrating gaze.

"Good morning." He kissed her lightly on the lips, then again, fuller and more deeply. "How do you feel?"

"Loved."

"Mm… me too."

A soft chittering sound that almost sounded like laughter filled the room and Don looked up to see the faces once again in the doorway. "Uh, oh, we have an audience."

She eased her way off his chest and ran her fingers through her hair. "What I would give for a hairbrush."

"Or a toothbrush and razor," he added as he put on his jacket.

"I don't know, I kind of like the scraggly look."

"Oh, you do, do you?" He came closer and rubbed his cheek against hers.

"Ouch, ooh, stop. It didn't feel like this last night."

"Last night you could have been scratched by a porcupine and wouldn't have minded."

She stopped and stared at him. Here they were bantering as if they hadn't a care in the world. In reality they were imprisoned with little hope of escape before… before what? Before Don would be forced to kill her?

He put his arms around her. "What did I do?"

"No, nothing. I was just thinking that we don't know if we'll… be together tonight."

"Judy, they can't make me hurt you. I'd rather die myself."

"I know… But how do we get out of this, Don?"

"I wish I knew."

* * *

The progress on the laser scoring of the huge rock at the opening to the cave was horribly slow. They had hoped to have it completed by noon, and then set the charges around the perimeter, but they realized that they still had several hours of work ahead of them. Setting the charges would also take some time, and they were all tired and anxious.

Maureen stopped her laser to wipe the sweat off her brow. "We're not going to make it in before the night cycle, are we?"

"No. There's still too much left to do, and we can't afford to make a mistake on this. Let's take a break." John called a family meeting so they could revise their plans.

Penny and Will were resting at the drill site, which had become their base of operations. Will and his father had finished the drill set-up while Maureen and Penny had started working on scoring the rock earlier that day. Will watched the operation of the equipment while Penny ate a nutrition bar.

"We've really mined a lot of fuel. I wonder if we have enough to leave this moon?" Will asked.

"You're worried about the drilling when Judy and Don are still prisoners?" Penny responded.

"No, I'm still worried about them. I told Dad it would take longer to use the lasers than he thought, but did he listen to me? No."

They heard footsteps coming down the trail and their parents soon were in the cavern.

"It looks like we're going to have to go in tomorrow," John stated.

"I told you so, Dad. The lasers are too slow," Will complained.

"You were right, son, but it's the best we can do right now. We still have a few hours of work to finish the scoring. Then we'll go back to the Jupiter for tonight and come back to set the charges tomorrow."

"I still say we should just blast our way in," Penny mumbled.

"Don't worry. Don and Judy can take care of themselves. They'll be all right." John wished he believed his own words.

The loud gonging sound could be heard across the hamlet once again. Judy froze and found herself beginning to panic.

"No, it's too soon. I'm not ready for this. Don? Please don't, don't let them take us!"

He pulled her in close and held her tight to his body. He was just as panicked and had nothing to say that would comfort her. They felt like prisoners on death row hoping for a call from the governor. This time, the reprieve came.

The faces retreated and what could be called music floated across the huge cavern. Judy and Don went to the doorway and saw what could only be a celebration in the town center. After a short time the entire town gathered for a procession through the hamlet. It stopped at their doorway once again, but this time they were not let out. The male who had held Judy when her father attempted to rescue them accompanied the leader. He bowed deeply before the female as he held his hands in a prayer like manner.

The male ordered the doorway to be moved aside and strode to Don. He pulled him away from Judy and shoved him against the wall. He stared into Don's eyes without uttering a sound. Don knew exactly what he meant and refrained from antagonizing the creature. Satisfied that his message had been received, the male backed out of the cavern and the door was once again in place.

Rubbing his sore rib, Don let out a long breath. "Looks like she's found herself another partner."

"Was he telling you to stay away from his woman?"

"No. He was telling me that he's a lot tougher than her last mate and that I should watch my step."

"I guess men are the same everywhere."

"Hey, watch it, sweetheart."

With the celebration in full swing, no visitors passed by their door. They appreciated the time alone and explored more about each other. Don sat with his back to the wall and Judy sat in front of him, leaning carefully against his chest as he caressed her arms.

"You know everything about my family, but I don't know anything about yours," Judy stated.

"What do you want to know?"

"Do you miss them?"

"Yeah, I do."

"I'm sure they miss you too."

"I don't know about that. I was the, uh, 'black sheep' of the family."

"What makes you say that?"

"I guess you could say that trouble followed me." He chuckled. "I really gave my mom a lot of gray hairs."

"I can't imagine. You? Giving people trouble?" She laughed along with him.

A sound at the door interrupted them. Don's young friend appeared and stuck its arm through a hole. It was bleeding from a slight cut. Judy immediately brought the med kit over and cleansed it. She knew that placing a dressing on it would be too conspicuous. She had one self-healing bandage left in the kit and placed it over the wound. The bandage was virtually invisible and it would be absorbed by the skin as the wound healed.

"Don't let anyone see it," she whispered as if the young thing could understand her.

It smiled gratefully and placed two containers of food and drink through the hole, as if in payment. It held Judy's hand for a moment, winked at Don and left.

"Must be leftovers from the party," Judy said as she brought it over to Don, who had been sitting back admiring Judy's care and concern for the young one.

"You know, you will make a wonderful mother someday."

She didn't respond to that comment. The thought brought back the reality that their future was in jeopardy. "I'm starving. Let's try their refreshments."

The food actually wasn't bad. It seemed to be some type of smoked fish and breads. They both welcomed a change from the nutrition bars. Don took a sip of the drink and shivered.

"Wow! That packs a punch!"

"Alcoholic?"

"I guess, or their version of it."

"I better stay away from it, then. You already know that I'm a light weight when it comes to drinking."

"It's a celebration drink. Will you take a sip if we have something to celebrate?"

"What do we have to celebrate, Don? We're prisoners."

"Judy, I haven't given up. We're gonna get outta here."

"I haven't given up either. It's just hard to… stay optimistic."

Don's heart went out to her. She was such an idealist, probably the exact opposite of himself, but they had rubbed off on each other. He was finally able to see that there could be goodness where one least expected it, and she had lost much of her naiveté overnight.

Don made a decision and moved to kneel on one knee in front of her.

"Judy, if… if we were still on Earth, I know that you probably wouldn't give me the time of day…"

"Don..."

He raised his hand stop her "No, I don't mean that in a bad way. I just… I'm trying to say that last night… I've never felt that way with anybody."

"Do you really mean that?"

"Yeah, yeah I do. Judy, if we ever get the chance, do you think you could marry me?"

Judy was not prepared to hear those words from him. "Don, I…" Could they have the kind of relationship her parents had? Did it matter? "I don't know what to say."

He sighed. "A 'yes' or 'no' would pretty much cover it."

She took his hands in her own. "I'm still trying to get used to us as a couple…" She then gazed into his intense eyes. "But… if we ever get out of here, yes, I think I could marry you."

He reached into his pocket and took out a ring he had made from a couple of paper clips that had been in his pocket, probably for ages. He mumbled, "I know it doesn't look like much, but would you accept this as an engagement ring?"

Tears stung her eyes and she nodded.

He slipped it on her finger, tightened it and held her close. She slipped her arms around his neck and he drew her into a soul touching kiss. They engaged in another night of love, another night of bliss that would lead God knew where tomorrow, but for tonight, they were safe.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 18**

**Love's Courage**

The laser scoring was done and the charges were set. John had declared that they would enter the cavern in peace, without weapons drawn. Dr. Smith, never having had a naïve bone in his body, had a weapon ready, just in case.

Penny, another realist, had a weapon hidden in her coveralls. She remembered Don's story of The Lion and the Mouse and had visions of whipping out the laser when the natives least expected it and saving the day. She hadn't told Will about this, afraid that he might squeal, but for his part, he wished he could have brought the Robot. He also remembered Don's story and, thought that if he had the Robot, he could have been the hero.

Professor Robinson, concerned about the safety of everyone, paused a moment before lighting the charges. His goal was to rescue Don and Judy without any casualties on either side. He hoped that the medical supplies Maureen carried with her would be enough to bargain with the leader for his daughter's life. John lit a match and the rescue plan was set in motion.

* * *

The gonging sound would not go away. Judy buried her head deeper into her lover's embrace and mumbled something to the effect of being left alone. Don's eyes flew open at the insistent clanging and he knew that they had run out of time. As Judy burrowed deeper into his arms he held her close, giving them both just a little more time to revel in their love. A few moments were all they had as the guards soon approached their door.

"Judy, Judy, honey, wake-up."

"Just a little bit longer."

"Honey, it's time."

She bolted upright. "No."

The guards entered and pulled both of them up to a stand. Don held up his hands in surrender and shrugged off his guard. Judy did the same. They clasped hands and nodded that they were ready to face the leader. Once again they were led through the village back to the platform. They did not expect a reprieve and knew that, however this story would end, it would be played out here and now.

They were led up the ramp to the dais that held the leader with her new consort by her side. She stood and approached Judy as her consort grabbed Don's arms and pulled him backwards. The leader cocked her head and stared into Judy's eyes, but before Judy lost consciousness, the leader stopped and cupped Judy's face in her hand.

"Judy, what happened? Are you alright?" Don pleaded.

"I'm… I'm fine." She turned to Don, unable to stop the tears that slid from her eyes. "Don, she thinks I'm pregnant. She won't let anyone hurt me."

His jaw dropped. '_Pregnant.'_ Warmth seemed to drift from his toes straight through the top of his head. His face broke into a huge grin and he wanted to take Judy in his arms, but the consort held him fast. "How…How does she know?"

"I don't know, but whether it's true or not, we've gotten another reprieve."

The leader stepped between them and produced the jeweled stiletto. Judy looked incredulously at her. She was sure that she had understood her message. The leader held the knife vertically in front of Don's face and then took Judy's hand and wrapped it around the handle.

"No!" Judy stepped away from the knife. "I won't do it."

Don knew that, if she didn't take the knife voluntarily, they would force her, but John wasn't hiding in the wings to save them this time. "Judy, listen to me. You have to take the knife."

"No! I can't hurt you."

"But if they _force_ you, I'm dead."

She stared at her lover. He was right. Judy reached out and took the knife from the leader's hand. She nodded to her and approached Don. She motioned for the guard to let him go, but the guard stood fast. Judy looked at the leader and pointed to the guard. She had to get him away. The leader waved her hand and the guard stepped back.

Don reached out to Judy and held her face. He looked at the leader and raised his eyebrows, hoping she understood that he wanted one last kiss. The leader nodded. He brought Judy's lips to his and kissed her tenderly.

Judy started shaking. She had never intentionally hurt anyone in her life. How she could bring herself to maim someone she loved?

"This is dangerous. What if I can't… ?"

He gripped her shoulders and stared into her eyes, "You're my only chance of surviving. You can do this."

She nodded and remembered her mother's words about having more courage than she possessed. "Kiss me again?"

He pulled her close to his body, closed his eyes and met her lips again. Judy placed the tip of the knife against his back. She hoped she could avoid his lung, but whatever she did was going to minimally cause muscle damage. She started to push and felt the tip break his skin when the sound of a muffled explosion echoed through the hamlet. Don immediately ducked and pulled Judy down with him. Much to their surprise, the entire Robinson family, along with Dr. Smith pushed their way through the crowd to the front of the platform.

John knew what was happening and shouted, "Stop!"

Dr. Smith pulled his weapon and aimed it at the leader. The consort reached down to force Judy's hand, but she slashed his arm as she pulled the knife away. Penny called Don's name and tossed him her weapon and he caught it in mid air as he twisted away from Judy. The consort was in shock as he stared at his bleeding arm. Don twisted the consort's arms behind his back and shoved the pistol against his cheek.

John ran up the ramp and helped Judy up. He took the stiletto from her hand and felt her shaking uncontrollably. Maureen came up behind them and placed her arms around her daughter to comfort her. John held the knife in his hand and held it vertically in front of the leader's face. The consort tried to lunge at John, but Don reminded him about the laser gun by singing, "Uh, uh, uh…"

"Will, bring the supplies up here," John instructed.

The box was dropped at the feet of the leader and John lifted the lid. There were various medical supplies and basic equipment for first aide. Judy had regained control of herself and faced the leader. She initiated the 'feelingization' herself and allowed her to delve into her mind. She hoped the leader would understand that the process of healing could replace their penchant to destroy those who were hurt. Judy stared into those eyes far longer than she ever had before and finally dropped to the ground.

Don called for Dr. Smith to examine her. "Is she all right?"

"She's been through this before, I'm sure she'll be fine," Smith answered.

"Yeah, well, she wasn't pregnant before."

John and Maureen were speechless.

"So you and Judith found ways to keep yourselves occupied after I left," Smith smirked.

Don pursed his lips in annoyance, but Smith reassured him that Judy was fine. It wasn't long before she regained consciousness and sat up. She blinked her eyes and sought out Don. "I'm fine." She smiled and opened the medical chest. "I have permission to dress his wound. Hold onto him a little bit longer, Don. He might not like this."

John moved to help Don, but the consort flailed his arms and again attempted to escape. Don held him and the leader barked an order. The consort immediately calmed down. Judy applied the cleansing and healing gel to his arm. She then covered it with the dissolving translucent bandage, cleaned his yellow hairs and let them flow over his arm again. She backed away and both men released the consort. The consort took hold of the jeweled knife and brought it to the leader holding it vertically in front of his own face and handed it to her. She took the knife and shook her head, putting the knife away in its case.

Satisfied that there was nothing else they could do, Judy closed the lid and bowed to the leader. Don followed her lead by holstering the pistol in his waistband and also bowing. Putting his arm around Judy, they turned and walked down the ramp. Judy and Maureen followed.

As they were walking through the crowd, the young one Judy had bandaged held out Don's leather jacket to him. He had left it in the cell and the native, on its own initiative, had retrieved it. Don accepted it and winked and the young native winked back. Approaching the entrance to the cave, they took one last look around and were on their way.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 19**

**Your Quarters or Mine?**

They were hugged, showered and fed. Sitting around the galley table as they ate dessert, Maureen gazed at her daughter and noted her glowing face. Although it was too early for a pregnancy test, she could believe that Judy was, indeed, pregnant. Don, for his part, was almost as glowing. His eyes always wandered back to Judy, who was at his side, and like a magnet, her eyes would lock right back onto his. John had hoped for this coupling, but, now that it was in full swing, he suddenly felt… old.

Don perused the faces of his 'adopted' family around the table and truly felt a part of them. He held Judy's hand and fingered the ring he had made for her. He wondered if this would be the time to talk about his and Judy's future.

He cleared his throat. "I would like to ask you all a very important question."

All eyes turned expectantly on him.

"May I have permission from all of you to marry Judy?"

Smith stood and took that as his cue to leave. "Major, as the 'loser' in our rivalry, I do not feel that your question is appropriately directed to me. Therefore, I will take my leave. I will pray for you, dear Judith, for you will need it. Good night."

"Hold on there, Smitty." Don stood and strode over to him.

Smith tensed and Judy warily whispered, "Don…"

Don held his hand out. "Dr. Smith, though I believe your tactics were, shall we say, sneaky? Mean? Nasty? In the end I found you to be a worthy opponent. I want to thank you for your gracious acceptance of the outcome, both when we were prisoners and now."

Smith accepted his handshake and replied. "You are welcome, Major. When you name your first born, please remember that the name is Zachary, not Zach."

"Uh, I'm not _that_ grateful, Smith."

As Smith left and Don returned to the table, all eyes seemed to land on Penny when Will innocently stated, "Well, I don't mind, but Penny might have a lot to say about it."

"Will Robinson, you keep your mouth shut!" Penny exclaimed.

Everyone knew that Penny had had a crush on Don since take off, and Judy worried if Penny would accept her new relationship with Don. "Penny, I know this must be hard for you."

Penny blushed, being desperately embarrassed. "I always knew it would turn out this way. I was just borrowing him for my daydreams. Now that he's officially yours, I'll stop."

Don chimed in, "Penny, I've thought of you as my little sister. I hope we can both feel that way now."

"Sure. You make Judy laugh, so she needs you more than I do anyway."

"Well, I really don't know what all the fuss is about," Will said. "It's not like he ever kissed you or anything. He's too old for you anyway."

"Shut up you little…"

"Enough!" Maureen commanded.

Both children immediately quieted. They knew that now would probably be a good time to leave, so they slid out of their chairs.

Before exiting, Will turned back and asked, "Now that you're like our big brother, can we call you Don?"

"Only if I can still call you both squirt!" Don responded.

They sang together, "Good night, Judy. Good night, Don."

Don threw his crumpled up napkin at them and they ran out of the room.

The four adults caught their breath as Judy grasped Don's hand and John grasped his wife's under the table and each gave the other a squeeze.

"Professor, now that it's happened, are you still okay with all this?" Don asked.

John replied, "I don't know, Major. I wasn't expecting you to make me a grandfather so soon."

Blushing beet red, Don cringed at the off the cuff comment. That was exactly what worried him and he didn't know how to respond.

Judy intervened, "That was my fault, not his, Dad."

Feigned surprise was mirrored on John's and Maureen's faces.

"I thought it took two to tango?" John teased.

Judy was getting irritated. "I'm the one who made the decision to go ahead, even though he told me…"

Don squeezed her hand a bit tighter with every word.

"Ow! Don, stop!"

The three of them burst out laughing at Judy's indignant expression.

"What is so funny!"

John stretched his hand across the table. "Once again, welcome to the family, Major."

After accepting the handshake, Don turned his eyes on Maureen. She could be the wild card given that she had never been happy with his 'testosterone level.'

"I'm convinced that you know what you're doing, Major. It's Judy that I'm concerned about."

"Me?" Judy's eyes were as big as saucers. She didn't expect her mother to question her judgment at this point.

"Remember questioning how one reaches a certain 'level of love'?"

Both Don's and John's eyes were on her. Don, especially, was interested in her response.

Judy nodded and faced Don. "When I was holding that knife at your back and knew what I had to do to you…" Tears slipped down her cheek. "You were right, it was your only chance of survival, but I… I wasn't sure I had the courage to do it."

"But you did," he whispered as he pulled her closer, "And I have the scar to prove it."

"Well, that answers my question," Maureen stated. She stood and pulled John up with her. "And on that note, we'll leave you two alone to decide where your new quarters will be. Just let us know in the morning, so we can start making plans for a nursery."

Don stood. "Wait, I really need to know if you're both okay with the… uh… grandparent… uh… thing."

John and Maureen shared a knowing look.

"Do the math, Major. Judy's birthdate? Our wedding date? Believe me, we understand," Maureen explained.

"Just don't call me 'Grandpa' before it's time," John added.

Blushing for the third time that evening, Don's mouth dropped open. He had no idea, but then, what difference did it make?

"Don, I'm proud to have you as a son-in-law." Maureen stated as she gave him a heart-felt hug.

As John followed Maureen out of the room, they overheard him ask, "So which courageous decision did _you_ talk to Judy about?"

"You'll just have to guess…" and their voices faded down the hall.

Don breathed a sigh of relief. "So, your quarters or mine?"

"How about if we try both and decide in the morning?"

"I like the way you think, Doctor."

Penny lay in her bed and heard the door close to Judy's room. She held her video diary in front of her one more time for the night. "The Space Captive has made the supreme sacrifice. She has let her love go so he could follow his heart. She is now free to pursue her own path. What lay ahead for the Space Captive and her expanding family? She had no way of knowing, but she would be prepared for whatever the fates would throw at them."

**The End**


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